Week in Sports

TOP SPORTING EVENTS: APRIL 1-11

UCSB continues its last homestand in the men’s volleyball regular season tonight (Fri., April 1) against UC Irvine. The two teams are vying for fourth place in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, which would ensure a home-court appearance in the first round of the MPSF playoffs. The Gauchos (13-10, 10-7 in the conference) clinched their first playoff berth since 2007 by sweeping UC San Diego on Thursday night. The scores were 25-17, 25-19 and 25-17.

Following tonight’s match, the Gauchos will host Pacific and Stanford next Thursday and Friday.

On the baseball diamond, UCSB opens a three-game series against San Jose State at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium this afternoon. The Gauchos (11-9) are 8-1 at home. The Spartans come to town with a 17-7 record.

The Gaucho women’s water polo team (17-8) has a pair of Big West games at noon Saturday and Sunday against Pacific (16-8) and UC Davis (16-7).

SBCC’s softball team, off to the best start in the history of the program, plays a pair of games at Pershing Park on Saturday, facing El Camino at 11 a.m., followed by Pasadena City College. The Vaqueros (17-2) are winners of 16 of their last 17 games. On Thursday, they swept Hancock College in Santa Maria by scores of 12-7 and 12-0. UCSB faces Cal State Fullerton in a softball double-header Saturday and a single game Sunday.

The Santa Barbara Breakers open the West Coast Pro Basketball League season on Saturday at Carpinteria High against the L.A. Advantage. Their next home game will be an outdoor affair at Girsh Park in Goleta on April 9.

Friday, April 1

College baseball – San Jose State at UCSB, 3 p.m.

College men’s volleyball – UC Irvine at UCSB, 7 p.m.

Saturday, April 2

College baseball – The Master’s at Westmont (2), 12 p.m.; San Jose State at UCSB, 1 p.m.

College softball – Cal State Fullerton at UCSB (2), 12 p.m.; El Camino at SBCC, 11 a.m.; Pasadena CC at SBCC, 1 p.m.

College women’s water polo – Pacific at UCSB, 12 p.m.

Basketball – L.A. Advantage at Santa Barbara Breakers, Carpinteria High, 4 p.m.

Sunday, April 3

College softball – Cal State Fullerton at UCSB, 12 p.m.

College women’s water polo – UC Davis at UCSB, 12 p.m.

College baseball – San Jose State at UCSB, 1 p.m.

Monday, April 4

Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table press luncheon, Harry’s Plaza Café, 12 p.m.

College softball – South Dakota at UCSB (2), 1 p.m.

High school softball – Santa Ynez at Carpinteria, 4 p.m.

Tuesday, April 5

College baseball – Ventura at SBCC, 2:30 p.m.

Wednesday, April 6

College baseball – Concordia at Westmont, 3 p.m.

High school baseball – St. Bonaventure at Carpinteria, 3:30 p.m.

High school softball – Santa Paula at San Marcos, 3:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 7

College softball – Ventura at SBCC (2), 1 p.m.

College baseball – Concordia at Westmont, 3 p.m.

High school softball – Santa Clara at Carpinteria, 3:30 p.m.

High school boys volleyball – Malibu at Bishop Diego, 6:30 p.m.

College men’s volleyball – Pacific at UCSB, 7 p.m.

Friday, April 8

College baseball – Cal Poly at UCSB, 3 p.m.

College softball – Mt. SAC at SBCC, 3 p.m.

High school baseball – Santa Clara at Bishop Diego, 2:30 p.m.; Dos Pueblos at San Marcos, 3:15 p.m.

High school softball – San Marcos at Dos Pueblos, 3:30 p.m.

College men’s volleyball – Stanford at UCSB, 7 p.m.

Basketball – Providence Hall All-Stars vs. Past Prime Time Players, Westmont College, 7 p.m.

Saturday, April 9

High school track & field – Dos Pueblos Invitational, 10 a.m.

College baseball – Cal Poly at UCSB, 1 p.m.; Hancock at SBCC, 1 p.m.

Basketball – Ventura County Jets at Santa Barbara Breakers, Girsh Park, 2 p.m.

High school boys volleyball – Windward at Bishop Diego, 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 10

College baseball – Cal Poly at UCSB, 1 p.m.

Monday, April 11

Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table press luncheon, Harry’s Plaza Café, 12 p.m.

RUNNING, WALKING, CYCLING

Saturday, April 2 – Are You Tough Enough? 100K Relay, Toro Canyon to Nojoqui Falls, 7 a.m. areyoutoughenough.com.

Sunday, April 3 – Tri-Counties Kidney Walk, 2.2 miles, Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort, 10 a.m. donate.kidney.org.

Saturday, April 16 – Chardonnay 10 Miler/5K, Loma Alta and Shoreline Drive, 8 a.m. walkjogrun.net.

Sunday, April 24 – Run4Hope 5K and mile, Foothill Elementary School, 8 a.m. run4hope.us.

Friday-Saturday, April 29-30 – Santa Barbara Endurance Races (100 mile, 100K, 50 mile, 50K, 35K, 25K 15K), Rancho Oso, 6 a.m. sber.co.

Saturday, April 30 – Gaucho Gallop, 10K/5K, UCSB Harder Stadium, 9 a.m. ucsbruns.com.

Wednesday, May 4 – Nite Moves Summer Sunset Series (1k swim, 5k run), Leadbetter Beach, 6 p.m. Continues every Wednesday through August 31. runsantabarbara.com.

Saturday, May 7 – Wine Country Half Marathon, Sagunto Street, Santa Ynez, 7 a.m. runsantaynez.com.

Friday, May 20 – Amgen Tour of California Individual Time Trial, Solvang, 12:30 p.m. amgentourofcalifornia.com.