SANTA BARBARA, Calif.--CSU Bakersfield (7-6) rallied from a four-run deficit to defeat UC Santa Barbara (6-6) 7-6 Tuesday afternoon.

With the game tied 1-1 in the second, the Gauchos put together four straight hits which scored four runs with two outs. Both teams notched a run in the third with the Gauchos taking a 6-2 advantage.

CSUB mounted a three-run charge in the sixth, highlighted by an Andrew Letourneau (Sr., Bakersfield, Calif., Bakersfield College) two-out, two-RBI single. The Roadrunners took the lead in the eighth. CSUB loaded the bases with no outs when Letourneau hit into a double play. Stuart Smith (R-Jr., Ventura, Calif., Buena HS) scored on the play to tie the score.

With Oscar Sanay (So., Chula Vista, Calif., Bonita Vista HS) at-bat, UCSB reliever Jeremy Peterson threw a wild pitch which allowed Kyle Desimone (So., Bakersfield, Calif., Stockdale HS) to score what proved to be the gamewinning run.

The Gauchos threatened in the bottom of ninth. With one out, Greg Mahle singled off of CSUB closer Spenser Messmore (Sr., Granada Hills, Calif., Alemany HS). Messmore struck out Ryan Palermo looking for the second out before getting Joey Wallace to ground out to second to end the game.

UC Santa Barbara outhit the Roadrunners 12-8, but led by Messmore (5), four CSUB pitchers recorded nine strikeouts. Messmore pitched the final three innings for the victory. Letourneau was 2-for-4 and drove in three of the CSUB runs.

~www.GoRunners.com~