SANTA BARBARA, Calif.— A walk-off infield single by Gianni Bloom lifted No. 25 UCSB over CSUN Friday night, as the Gauchos took game one of the series 5-4. Despite committing four errors and getting out-hit, UC Santa Barbara once again found a way to win in the clutch.

UC Santa Barbara now boasts a 19-8 record with a 10-3 conference mark while CSUN falls to 5-8 in both categories.

Michael McGreevy earned the start for the Gauchos tossing six innings of three-run ball against the Matadors. He would strike out seven in the no-decision. Earning the win was Carter Benbrook (3-0) who tossed the final three innings, putting up a zero in each. He allowed just five hits and a walk, while fanning six and firing the Gaucho bench up with a roar after each K.

CSUN took the early lead in the first scoring a pair of runs on a trio of hits to take a 2-0 lead.

The bottom of the inning saw UCSB score its first run of the evening on an RBI groundout from Steele Ledford to cut the lead to 2-1. Christian Kirtley would notch a double earlier in the inning to move Bryce Willits into scoring position. 

The Matadors added an unearned run in the top of third, but once again the Gauchos answered in the bottom half with a run of their own to trim the lead back to 3-2. This time it was Broc Mortensen singling through the right side to score Cole Cummings.

The sixth inning was more of the same with CSUN grabbing another run, but this time the Gauchos would catch the Matadors when they came in to bat. Mortensen led off the inning with a single and next up was Zach Rodriguez who crushed a home run over the wall in left-center to make it 4-4. It was the freshman's fourth knock of the season that also effectively extended his hitting streak to 16 straight games. 

The next few innings went quiet, until UCSB gave themselves the walk-off opportunity in the bottom of the ninth with two outs. CSUN needed just one more out to force extras but would give up back-to-back walks to both Ledford and Jason Willow.

With Ledford in scoring position, Bloom stepped in for his first and only at-bat of the night and on an 0-2 count, pushed the ball between the mound and third. The CSUN infield collected the ball and fired over to first, but Bloom had hustled down the line and was called safe on the single. Flying around third was Ledford who beat the tag at home to give UCSB a 5-4 walk-off win.

Jordan Sprinkle, Mortensen, and Kirtley all had multi-hit efforts with each of them going 2-for-4. 

Both teams are now set for tomorrow's doubleheader with game one starting at 1 PM.