LA JOLLA, Calif.— No. 22 UC Santa Barbara baseball opened up its weekend series with a Friday night, seven-inning, run-rule victory over host UC San Diego 15-2. The Gauchos hung a seven spot in the first before adding three more crooked numbers to collect their fourth run-rule win of the season. 

The Gauchos have now won six straight series openers improving to 22-9 overall with a 13-4 Big West record, while the Tritons fall to 8-17 and 5-8. 

Earning the win for the Gauchos was Michael McGreevy (5-0) who tossed six out of seven innings and allowed just two earned while striking out five. Nick Welch was the lone man out of the pen entering in the seventh and striking out the side to end the game.

Seven out of nine starters collected hits and six collected RBI in the one-sided effort as UCSB out-hit host UCSD 11-7. Zach Rodriguez led the way going 3-for-5 with four RBI and three runs, while both Bryce Willits and Jason Willow added multi-hit efforts as well. Willow tied Rodriguez for the team lead with four RBI.

One of the few players who did not record a hit was Cole Cummings as he was walked five times Friday night, which breaks the program's single-game record.

The first inning saw seven different Gauchos touch home plate with their first three batters all reaching base to give their team a bases-loaded no-out situation to start the weekend. Rodriguez was the fourth up blasting a 2 RBI single through the right side and was quickly followed by Christian Kirtley, who collected a 2 RBI double to center to make it 4-0 before the Tritons could record an out. An RBI single by Willow and heads-up baserunning would grant the visitors a quick 7-0 lead. 

Two more came in the top of the second with Willits collecting an RBI single to center before seeing Willow notch a sac-fly to make it 9-0. In the third, Rodriguez would strike again with another 2 RBI single, this time through the left side of the infield to extend the lead 11-0. 

UCSD got on the board in the bottom of the fourth, but the Gauchos were quick to respond with an RBI single to center from Willits to make 12-1.

The bottom of the sixth saw the Tritons score their final run of the night and cut the lead to 12-2.

The evening was capped off by a three-run seventh that featured a 2 RBI double from Willow and an RBI single from pinch-hitter Kyle Johnson to end the evening on top 15-2.

UCSB will look for the series win tomorrow afternoon in the Saturday doubleheader.