UCSB’s baseball win streak was snapped as Cal State Northridge scored four runs in the ninth inning to take a 7-4 win over the Gauchos on Saturday at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
The Matadors’ victory ended a streak of 11 victories for the Gauchos, who suffered their first defeat in Big West play.
UCSB (16-4, 4-1 in Big West) rallied from a 3-1 deficit, scoring a run in the fourth and three in the seventh.
In the fourth, LeTrey McCollum singled up the middle to drive in Zander Darby, who led off the inning with a single, advanced to second on a walk to Aaron Parker and moved to third on a Broc Mortensen fly out to center field.
The Gauchos took the lead with three runs in the seventh. Ivan Brethowr drove in Nick Oakley with a single and Darby followed with a RBI single, scoring Christian Kirtley to tie the score at 3-3.
Parker singled to center to bring home Brethowr for the go-ahead run.
After allowing three runs in the third, UCSB starter Matt Ager was back in control, picking off a runner at first, then getting out the next 10 batters he faced. That stretch included a pair of strikeouts in the fourth and a nifty, between-the-legs play to end the fifth.
He only allowed one more hit, a lead-off single in the seventh, before being lifted in the eighth for Carter Benbrook.
Benbrook gave up a one-out bunt single to Mason Le before retiring the next two batters to end the inning.
The Matadors (13-5, 3-2) started the ninth with a double down the left-field line by Grayson Tarlow, followed by a single to right by Kevin Fitzer.
UCSB brought in Sam Whiting to pitch and Ali Camarillo greeted him with a RBI single as Tarlow came home to tie the score, 4-4. A sacrifice by Bren Wilkinson advanced Fitzer and Camarillo to third and second.
Whiting struck out Nathan Barraza and intentionally walked Leon to load the bases.
Le spoiled UCSB’s hopes of getting a double play as he singled to center for two runs. Jakob Simons followed with another single for a RBI and a 7-4 CSUN lead.
Justin Trimble singled to open the bottom of the ninth for UCSB. But Northridge reliever Joshua Romero struck out Brethowr and induced a pair of ground balls that the Matadors turned into force plays to end the game.
The Gauchos and Matadors will play the rubber game of the series on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. Students of all ages will receive free admission to the game.