The 2016 UC Santa Barbara Gauchos baseball team represented the University of California, Santa Barbara in the 2016 NCAA Division I baseball season, the team competed in the Big West Conference and was led by head coach Andrew Checketts, who was in his fifth season with the program. They played their home games at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.

The Gauchos finished the season with a 43–20–1 overall record. In the Big West Conference, they had a record of 13–11, and finished third in the standings. The team earned an at-large bid to the 2016 NCAA Tournament. The Gauchos won the Nashville Regional, hosted by Vanderbilt. They then won the Louisville Super Regional. For the first time in program history, UC Santa Barbara reached the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. They lost to Oklahoma State in the first round before beating Miami (FL). They then lost to eventual runner-up Arizona, finishing with a 1–2 record in the College World Series.

Notable players

Shane Bieber was a pitcher who played for the Gauchos in 2016. He later went on play professionally, joining the Cleveland Guardians of Major League Baseball.

Schedule Source:

Legend Gauchos win Gauchos loss PostponementBoldGauchos team member

{| class="toccolours" width=95% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center;" |- ! colspan=2 style="" | 2016 UC Santa Barbara Gauchos baseball game log (43–20–1) |- ! colspan=2 style="" | Regular season (37–18–1) |- valign="top" | February (7–1) Date Time (PST) TV Opponent Rank Stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall BWC February 19 2:00 p.m. — * — Caesar Uyesaka StadiumSanta Barbara 8–2 Bieber (1–0) Ponticelli (0–1) None 400 1–0 — February 20 (DH) 11:00 a.m. — San Francisco* — Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 6–5 Nelson (1–0) Parker (0–1) None 320 2–0 — February 20 (DH) 2:30 p.m. — San Francisco* — Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 13–5 Bettencourt (1–0) Post (0–1) None 360 3–0 — February 21 1:00 p.m. — San Francisco* — Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 7–3 Record (1–0) Goodman (0–1) None 369 4–0 — February 23 2:00 p.m. — vs. * — Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 4–7 Loeprich (1–0) Bettencourt (1–1) Gonsolin (2) 179 4–1 — Tony Gwynn Legacy Tournament February 26 1:00 p.m. — vs. * — Tony Gwynn StadiumSan Diego, California 11–4 Bieber (2–0) Brown (0–2) None 200 5–1 — February 27 1:00 p.m. — vs. * — Tony Gwynn Stadium 16–2 Davis (1–0) Bingel (1–1) None 876 6–1 — February 28 10:00 a.m. — vs. * — Tony Gwynn Stadium 9–3 Record (2–0) Richan (0–1) None 450 7–1 —

March (11–4) Date Time (PST) TV Opponent Rank Stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall BWC March 1 2:00 p.m. — No. 21 UCLA* No. 19 Caesar Uyesaka StadiumSanta Barbara, California 11–6 Chapman (1–0) Burke (0–1) None 318 8–1 — March 4 3:00 p.m. — at No. 7 * No. 19 PK ParkEugene, Oregon 1–13 Irvin (2–0) Bieber (2–1) None 1,533 8–2 — March 5 12:00 p.m. — at No. 7 Oregon* No. 19 PK Park 1–0 Nelson (2–0) Stiles (0–1) None 1,120 9–2 — March 6 12:00 p.m. — at No. 7 Oregon* No. 19 PK Park 1–3 Peterson (2–0) Record (2–1) Nogosek (4) 1,111 9–3 — March 12 (DH) 11:00 p.m. — * No. 22 Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 7–4 Bieber (3–1) Gauthier (2–1) Bettencourt (1) 215 10–3 — March 12 (DH) 2:00 p.m. — Hartford* No. 22 Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 2–1 Nelson (3–0) LaRossa (0–1) None 230 11–3 — March 13 1:00 p.m. — Hartford* No. 22 Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 7–6 Bettencourt (2–1) McKay (0–1) Nelson (1) 260 12–3 — March 18 3:00 p.m. — UConn* No. 21 Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 5–3 Nelson (4–0) Polonia (1–1) None 350 13–3 — March 19 2:00 p.m. — UConn* No. 21 Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 9–6 Hatton (1–0) Darras (1–1) Bettencourt (2) 340 14–3 — March 20 1:00 p.m. — UConn* No. 21 Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 6–2 Record (3–1) Rossomando (0–2) None 300 15–3 — March 22 6:00 p.m. — at * No. 17 Hardt FieldBakersfield, California 10–4 Hatton (1–0) Carter (0–3) None 508 16–3 — March 24 3:00 p.m. — * No. 17 Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 10–1 Bieber (4–1) Wheatley (0–2) None 400 17–3 — March 25 3:00 p.m. — USC* No. 17 Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 5–2 Davis (2–0) Wegman (2–1) Nelson (2) 550 18–3 — March 26 2:00 p.m. — at USC* No. 17 Dedeaux FieldLos Angeles, California 5–9 Navilhon (1–2) Record (3–2) None 1,364 18–4 — March 29 3:00 p.m. — at * No. 11 Eddy D. FieldMalibu, California 2–6 Green (1–0) Chapman (1–1) Garcia (1) 335 18–5 —

April (10–5–1) Date Time (PST) TV Opponent Rank Stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall BWC April 1 6:00 p.m. — at No. 26 No. 11 Blair FieldLong Beach, California 4–3 Bieber (5–1) Mathewson (3–3) Nelson (3) 1,616 19–5 1–0 April 2 2:00 p.m. — at No. 26 Long Beach No. 11 Blair Field 3–1 Davis (3–0) McCaughan (4–1) Nelson (4) 1,393 20–5 2–0 April 3 1:00 p.m. — at No. 26 Long Beach No. 11 Blair Field 0–2 Brown (4–2) Record (3–3) Rivera (11) 1,614 20–6 2–1 April 8 3:00 p.m. — at * No. 12 CofC Baseball Stadium at Patriots PointMount Pleasant, South Carolina 7–4 Bieber (6–1) Helvey (4–3) None 422 21–6 — April 9 11:30 a.m. — at College of Charleston* No. 12 CofC Baseball Stadium at Patriots Point 3–10 Ober (3–1) Davis (3–1) None 616 21–7 — April 10 10:00 a.m. — at College of Charleston* No. 12 CofC Baseball Stadium at Patriots Point 6–6 No Decision 461 21–7–1 — April 15 3:00 p.m. — No. 13 Caesar Uyesaka StadiumSanta Barbara, California 1–0 Bieber (7–1) Rodriguez (3–3) None 400 22–7–1 3–1 April 16 2:00 p.m. — CSUN No. 13 Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 5–4 Nelson (5–0) Diaz (1–1) None 425 23–7–1 4–1 April 17 1:00 p.m. — CSUN No. 13 Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 8–2 Record (4–3) O'Neil (3–4) Bettencourt (3) 375 24–7–1 5–1 April 18 3:00 p.m. — * No. 11 Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 5–4 Nelson (6–0) McMahan (1–1) None 200 25–7–1 — April 22 6:00 p.m. — at No. 11 Baggett StadiumSan Luis Obispo, California 0–7 Smith (5–3) Bieber (7–2) None 1,302 25–8–1 5–2 April 23 6:00 p.m. — at Cal Poly No. 11 Baggett Stadium 5–10 Uelmen (5–0) Davis (3–2) None 2,269 25–9–1 5–3 April 24 1:00 p.m. — at Cal Poly No. 11 Baggett Stadium 3–4 Zill (4–1) Record (4–4) Calomeni (6) 1,505 25–10–1 5–4 April 26 3:00 p.m. — * No. 21 Louis Guisto FieldMoraga, California 4–3(11) Bettencourt (3–1) Holdgrafer (0–1) None 124 26–10–1 — April 29 3:00 p.m. — No. 21 Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 14–2 Bieber (8–2) Hornung (3–7) None 210 27–10–1 6–4 April 30 2:00 p.m. — Hawai'i No. 21 Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 6–3 Bettencourt (4–1) Chew (0–3) None 500 28–10–1 7–4

May (9–8) Date Time (PST) TV Opponent Rank Stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall BWC May 1 1:00 p.m. — No. 21 Caesar Uyesaka StadiumSanta Barbara, California 5–4 Davis (4–2) Valencia (3–1) None 400 29–10–1 8–4 May 3 3:00 p.m. — * No. 13 Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 4–3 Hatton (3–0) Pendergast (2–3) Bettencourt (4) 150 30–10–1 — May 6 2:30 p.m. — No. 13 Dobbins StadiumDavis, California 2–6 Brown (1–3) Bieber (8–3) None 272 30–11–1 8–5 May 7 3:00 p.m. — UC Davis No. 13 Dobbins Stadium 7–3 Record (5–4) Henderson (1–3) Nelson (5) 382 31–11–1 9–5 May 8 1:00 p.m. — UC Davis No. 13 Dobbins Stadium 3–13 Hamby (3–4) Hatton (3–1) None 402 31–12–1 9–6 May 10 3:00 p.m. — * No. 26 Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 4–5 Coats (1–0) Bettencourt (4–2) Gusbeth (3) 200 31–13–1 — May 13 3:00 p.m. — No. 15 No. 26 Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 3–2 Bieber (9–3) Seabold (6–4) Nelson (6) 600 32–13–1 10–6 May 14 2:00 p.m. — No. 15 Cal State Fullerton No. 26 Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 2–18 Gavin (5–2) Davis (4–3) None 568 32–14–1 10–7 May 15 1:00 p.m. — No. 15 Cal State Fullerton No. 26 Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 3–6 Prohoroff (1–1) Nelson (6–1) Serigstad (4) 575 32–15–1 10–8 May 17 6:00 p.m. — UCLA* — Jackie Robinson StadiumPasadena, California 4–3 Kelly (1–0) Forbes (1–2) Nelson (7) 200 33–15–1 — May 20 6:30 p.m. — — Anteater BallparkIrvine, California 10–3 Bieber (10–3) Surrey (3–6) None 746 34–15–1 11–8 May 21 7:00 p.m. Fox Sports UC Irvine — Anteater Ballpark 4–5 Faucher (2–0) Nelson (6–2) None 605 34–16–1 11–9 May 22 6:00 p.m. ESPNU UC Irvine — Anteater Ballpark 9–5 Nelson (7–2) Faucher (2–1) None 541 35–16–1 12–9 May 23 3:00 p.m. — * — Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 6–5 Davis (5–3) LeBrun (5–3) None 300 36–16–1 — May 26 3:00 p.m. — — Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 1–3 Sodders (7–4) Davis (5–4) Fagalde (3) 250 36–17–1 12–10 May 27 3:00 p.m. — UC Riverside — Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 2–1 Bieber (11–3) Delgado (1–8) Nelson (8) 400 37–17–1 13–10 May 28 1:00 p.m. — UC Riverside — Caesar Uyesaka Stadium 0–6 Landazuri (5–5) Record (5–5) None 500 37–18–1 13–11 |- ! colspan=2 style="" | Postseason (6–2)

(3–0) Date Time (PST) TV Opponent Rank Stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall NCAAT Record June 3 12:00 p.m. — vs. No. 21 Washington — Hawkins FieldNashville, Tennessee 3–2(14) Kelly (2–0) Nesbitt (6–3) None 1,898 38–18–1 1–0 June 5 12:00 p.m. — vs. Xavier — Hawkins Field 5–4 Davis (6–4) Astle (5–5) Kelly (1) 2,039 39–18–1 2–0 June 6 12:00 p.m. — vs. Xavier — Hawkins Field 14–5 Record (6–5) Jacknewitz (1–7) None 1,944 40–18–1 3–0

(2–0) Date Time (PST) TV Opponent Rank Stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall NCAAT Record June 11 9:00 a.m. — vs. No. 5 Louisville No. 14 Jim Patterson StadiumLouisville, Kentucky 4–2 Bieber (12–3) McKay (12–4) Nelson (9) 4,634 41–18–1 4–0 June 12 9:00 a.m. — vs. No. 5 Louisville No. 14 Jim Patterson Stadium 4–3 Chandler (1–0) Burdi (1–3) None 4,784 42–18–1 5–0

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="margin:auto; width:100%; text-align:center; font-size:95%" ! colspan=14 style="padding-left:4em;" | (1–2) |- ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" | Date ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" | Time (PST) ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" | TV ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" | Opponent ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" | Rank ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" | Stadium ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" | Score ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" | Win ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" | Loss ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" | Save ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" | Attendance ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" | Overall ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" | NCAAT Record |-bgcolor="ffdddd" | June 18 || 12:00 p.m. || ESPN 2 || vs. No. 6 Oklahoma State || No. 8 || TD Ameritrade ParkOmaha, Nebraska || 0–1 || Hatch (9–2) || Bieber (12–4) || None || 20,956 || 42–19–1 || 5–1 |-bgcolor="bbffbb" | June 19 || 12:00 p.m. || ESPNU || vs. No. 2 Miami || No. 8 || TD Ameritrade Park || 5–3 || Davis (7–4) || Garcia (9–5) || Nelson (10) || 15,748 || 43–19–1 || 6–1 |-bgcolor="ffdddd" | June 20 || 12:00 p.m. || ESPN || vs. No. 7 Arizona || No. 8 || TD Ameritrade Park || 0–3 || Cloney (7–4) || Kelly (2–1) || Ming (3) || 22,133 || 43–20–1 || 6–2

Rankings

References