Santa Barbara, Calif. -- San Jose State baseball gave up 14 hits and fell to UC Santa Barbara 7-2 at Caesar Uyesaka Field on Saturday.
A four-run seventh inning for the Gauchos extended their 3-2 lead to 7-2 and handed the Spartans their eighth straight loss.
Daniel Chavez replaced starter David Wayne Russo on the mound to start the seventh, down 3-2. After a hit batsmen and two UCSB singles Chavez hit Woody Woodward with bases loaded to make it 4-2. Two more singles in the inning by Brandon Trinkwon and Tyler Kuresa plated three runs to make the score 7-2.
"We have to stay away from these big innings if we want to win," said Spartans' head coach Dave Nakama. "We need to just make a few more good pitches and we're out of it."
San Jose State surrendered an early run in the second inning, but quickly put two runs on the board in the third. Ricky Acosta set the table with a double down the right field line and scored on Andre Mercurio's single. Two batters later an RBI-single by designated hitter Tim Quiery scored Mercurio, and gave the Spartans a 2-1 lead.
With two outs in the fifth inning, the Gauchos tied the game. Cameron Newell singled up the middle and then advanced to third one batter later on a wild pitch. Newell tied the game by taking home on a passed ball behind catcher Jon Nelson.
UCSB tacked on another run in the sixth when Jackson Morrow hit an RBI-single making the game 3-2.
Russo takes the loss and moves to 1-2 on the year while Justin Jacome moves to 1-2 with the win.
The series finale between the Gauchos and Spartans begins Sunday at 1 p.m.