Matt Ager threw six shutout innings and Aaron Parker had a big day at the plate to lead the UCSB baseball team to a 4-2 win over Xavier in the second game of the three-game series on Saturday at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
The right-handed Ager went seven innings and struck out eight. He lost his shutout when Jared Cushing and Matthew DePrey hit back-to-back solo homers in the seventh. He allowed the two earned runs, seven hits and two walks.
Carter Benbrook threw a hitless final two innings and struck out two for the save.
Parker, the Gaucho catcher, hit a two-run homer to left in the second inning and also doubled and scored two runs on a 3-for-4 day at the plate.
Zander Darby doubled home Parker to give the Gauchos a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning and his base-loaded SAC fly in the sixth scored the catcher for the fourth run in the sixth inning.
That was plenty of support for Ager, who won his second straight outing. He threw six scoreless at Oregon last week in a 10-0 victory.
UCSB (6-3) and Xavier (5-6) play the deciding game of the series on Sunday at 1:05 p.m.