The UCSB baseball team won its fifth straight game and improved to 42-12 on the season with a 9-2 win Friday at Cal State Bakersfield.
Big West champion UCSB also improves to 26-3 in conference play.
The game was tied at 1 at the end of five innings before the Gauchos exploded for four runs in the sixth, three in the seventh and one in the eighth on a solo home run from Broc Mortensen, his 14th of the season.
Jordan Sprinkle went 3-for-4 with a walk and three RBI, and Jason Willow hit a two-RBI single in the sixth. Kyle Johnson went 3-for-4 with a double and three runs scored.
Pitcher Mike Gutierrez improved to 8-1 on the season, giving up three hits and one run in six innings of work, striking out seven. He also picked off a pair of runers.
Reliever Hayden Hattenbach then pitched two perfect innings for the Gauchos, striking out two, and Alex Schrier pitched the ninth, giving up a run.
After Thursday’s 9-6 win over Bakersfield and Friday’s win, the Gauchos can finish the regular season Saturday with their eighth weekend sweep of the season with another win.
On Monday, the Gauchos find out their opening opponent and location for the NCAA tournament.