SANTA BARBARA, Calif.— CSU Bakersfield scored five runs in the final two innings to overcome a 3-0 UC Santa Barbara lead to defeat the No. 16 Gauchos 5-4 Tuesday afternoon.

The Gauchos (31-13-1) loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the second before CSUB starter Max Carter got Tevin Mitchell to ground into a 5-2 fielder's choice for the second out. Thomas Rowan fouled out to complete the inning. A pair of Carter walks combined with a Devon Gradford single loaded the UCSB bases in the bottom of the third with one out. Austin Bush popped out to first before JJ Muno's sacrifice fly plated Andrew Calica for the first Gauchos' run. Josh Adams would ground out to complete the frame.

Clay Fisher doubled to right to lead off the UCSB fourth. Mitchell's sacrifice bunt was successful advanced Fisher to third. With the Roadrunner infield playing in, Rowan singled up the middle to score Fisher. Carter picked Rowan off at first prior to Calica grounding out to short.

Using two different pitchers, the Gauchos retired seven CSUB batters in a row prior to Chance Gusbeth reaching on an error to begin the top of the fifth. Ryan Grotjohn followed with a single to right. Nick Vehlewald sacrificed both Roadrunners into scoring position. Drew Seelman's fly ball to left wasn't deep enough for either runner to tag and turned into the second out. Gradford's diving catch of a Jake Ortega sinking line drive in center got the Gauchos out of the inning.

Bush increased the lead to 3-0 with a one out home run in the bottom of the fifth. With one out in the top of the sixth, Mahlik Jones was hit by a Kevin Chandler pitch. David Metzgar followed with a single to right. Chandler's first pitch Cody White was popped in the infield and with the infield fly rule invoked, UCSB recorded the second out. Gusbeth walked to load the bases. Grotjohn worked the count in his favor at 2-1, but he popped up to third for the final out.

Fished led off the UCSB sixth with his second double of the game and stole third. CSUB brought the infield once again. Carter recorded his first strikeout of the game as he got Mitchell looking. The infield remained in against Rowan.  Rowan attempted a suicide squeeze. Rowan's bunt attempt went straight up in the air and was caught by Carter. Carter threw down to Jones at third for a double play.

Jones opened the eighth by reaching on a two-base error against the fourth UCSB pitcher of the day, Kyle Hatton. Hatton hit Metzgar with a pitch. With one out, Gusbeth extended his school record with his 14th career triple to score Jones and Metzgar. Trevor Bettencourt relieved Hatton in time to face Grotjohn. Grotjohn smacked a single, only the fifth hit of the day for CSUB, to score Gusbeth and tie the score.

Robles worked out his second walk of the game to give CSUB runners at first and second. Seelman also walked which loaded the bases for Junior Felix. Felix flew out to right. Grotjohn tagged on the play, and was thrown at the plate by Michael McAdoo for a double play.

Roadrunner reliever Adam Coats hit JJ Muno to begin the Gauchos' eighth. McAdoo attempted to put down a sacrifice bunt which Coats field and attempted to throw to second to retire Muno. Muno beat the throw for runners on first and second.  Fisher put a bunt down which was fielded by Felix, the CSUB catcher in front of home plate. Felix threw down to third, getting the first out. Pinch hitter Ryan Cumberland hit a blooper to right which Gusbeth charged in on and made the catch. Sam Cohen doubled down the right field line to score Fisher for the go-ahead run. Fished advanced to third on the play. Cohen stole second before Calica walked to load the bases. Gradford would strike out to end the inning.

Frailey began the CSUB ninth with a single up the middle. Jones was called upon to lay down a sacrifice bunt. He was unsuccessful on his first two attempts. Jones swung away and came away with an infield single. Metzgar tried to put down a sac bunt, but he popped the ball into the air and it was caught in foul territory by Cohen, the Gauchos' catcher. White walked to load the bases for Gusbeth. Gusbeth tied the game with a sacrifice fly to right which scored Frailey. On the first pitch he saw from Bettencourt, Grotjohn's shot to first base, went off of Bush's glove into right field, scoring Jones. Robles struck out to send the game into the bottom of the ninth.

Gusbeth, who started the game in right, came on to try and close the game. His first batter was Bush, UCSB's No. 3 hitter who fouled out to third. Dempsey Grover walked. The tying run came to the plate in the form of Muno as Joseph Hamilton entered to pinch run for Grover. Muno hit a grounder to White at first. Despite slipping on the dirt, White tagged the bag with his glove for the second out. Hamilton advanced to second on the play. Pinch hitter Billy Frederick hit liner towards first that White dove for and come up with for the final out.

Gusbeth earned his third save of the season to go along with two hits and three RBI's. Grotjohn went 3-for-5 with two RBI's. Fisher was 3-for-4 as Grover and Gradford both charted two hits. The loss was only the second for UC Santa Barbara in 23 home games this season. The victory broke a five-game losing streak for the Roadrunners against nationally ranked opponents that dated back to May 5, 2015 when CSUB defeated the Gauchos who were ranked No. 6 at the time.

CSUB's (12-34, 6-14 WAC) returns home Friday night against Chicago State (12-36, 6-15 WAC) which will begin a seven game home stand that concludes the regular season. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. Tickets are available through the CSUB Ticket Office at (661) 654-BLUE or tickets@csub.edu, or online at Vallitix.com.

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