CSUN Drops High-Scoring Affair at #16 UCSB, 11-9

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.---CSUN Baseball gave No. 16 UC Santa Barbara a battle for the second consecutive day, but the Gauchos scored nine runs over the last three frames to pull out an 11-9 decision on Saturday at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium. Freshman Andrew Becker kept up his hitting ways, finishing 4-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI. Will Linberg added three RBI to go with a pair of hits and Elijah Fairchild went 2-for-4.

HOW IT HAPPENED
A day after battling to a 13-inning loss to UCSB, the Matadors turned the page quickly and jumped on the Gauchos in the first. An error to start the game and a Fairchild walk set the table before Tyler Mejia collected an RBI single for a 1-0 lead.

The Gauchos drew even in the bottom of the second when Isaac Kim led the frame with a solo homer. CSUN's starter Noah Rinehart would rebound to retire three of the next four including pitching around an error on the infield.

In the top of the third, CSUN wasted no time in responding with Roberto Gonzalez and Fairchild collecting singles to start. The next two Matadors were retired, but Becker came through with a two-out double to left for a 3-1 lead.

UCSB looked to respond in the home half of the third, loading the bases with two outs before Rinehart retired Nate Vargas. The high-powered Gauchos though kept threatening, and in the fourth, the Gauchos scratched across a run on a fielder's choice after a couple of early hits.

The lead stayed at 3-2 until the sixth when the Matadors pushed across two more. Becker, who hit a one-out single, touched home plate after a pair of wild pitches while Linberg singled in another later in the inning for a 5-2 lead.

Out of the bullpen, Logan Miller and Kody King kept the Gauchos off the scoreboard until the sixth when the home bats finally broke through. The first four batters reached to start the frame with Jeremiah Crain hitting an RBi double. Two hit batters followed then Kim put the Gauchos ahead with a two-run double. UCSB added one more on a bases loaded walk for a 7-5 lead.

As they have done throughout the weekend, the Matadors responded again in the top of the seventh. CSUN had runners at second and third with two outs when Xavier Ross legged out an RBI infield single. Moments later, Linberg picked up a clutch two-run triple to the gap in right center to put CSUN ahead 8-7.

The seesaw game turned to the bottom of the seventh with Crain tying the game on an RBI single, capitalizing on a CSUN error. UCSB went ahead in the eighth with a three-run frame, highlighted by RBI hits from.Cole Kosciusko and Crain.

Down to their final at-bat, the Matadors mounted one last rally as the first three reached base to start. Royce Clayton, Jr. delivered an RBI single to cut the deficit to 11-9, but the Gauchos rebounded to pick up a strikeout and a back-breaking 4-6-3 double play to end the game.

NOTES OF THE GAME

CSUN drops to 2-9 overall and 0-2 in Big West play while UC Santa Barbara improves to 12-2 and 2-0.
The Matadors outhit the Gauchos 12-11 while seven scored at least once on the day.
Gonzalez has reached base safely in 10 straight games after reaching twice on Saturday.
Rinehart worked 3.1 innings, allowing two runs on four hits to go with three strikeouts.
Jason Davis worked two innings and struck out three with four runs allowed out of the bullpen.

UP NEXT
CSUN and UCSB conclude their series on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. on ESPN+.

#GoMatadors

CSUN Drops High-Scoring Affair at #16 UCSB, 11-9

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Team Stats

Andrew Becker

Elijah Fairchild

Will Linberg

Roberto Gonzalez

Players Mentioned

Andrew Becker

Royce Clayton, Jr.

Jason Davis

Elijah Fairchild

Roberto Gonzalez

Kody King

Will Linberg

Tyler Mejia

Logan Miller

Noah Rinehart

Players Mentioned

Andrew Becker

Royce Clayton, Jr.

Jason Davis

Elijah Fairchild

Roberto Gonzalez

Kody King

Will Linberg

Tyler Mejia

Logan Miller

Noah Rinehart