IRVINE, Calif. — A tough third inning undid the UC Santa Barbara Baseball team (24-12, 11-6 Big West) on Saturday, with UC Irvine (17-20, 8-9 Big West) riding that four-run frame to a series-evening 6-3 victory.  
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Vargas came up big on both sides of the ball for Santa Barbara, throwing out a runner to end the bottom of the first, then leading off the bottom of the second with his second double of the weekend. Rowan Kelly singled to move him over to third, then the Gaucho catcher scampered home on a passed ball, narrowly evading the tag at the plate.
 
After two innings of facing the minimum, Nathan Aceves got into trouble in the third, surrendering four runs that would eventually decide the game. Not that the Santa Barbara bats were going to just roll over. Vargas' one-out walk served as the catalyst for a two-out rally in the top of the fourth, with Jonathan Mendez's single plating Vargas and Cole Kosciusko's ground-rule double that bounced over the wall in center plating Corey Nunez. That bounce was a bit unlucky for Santa Barbara, as Mendez was held at third by rule. He would stay there and the Gauchos would stay a run behind, down 4-3.
 
A solo home run to start the bottom of the fourth got one of those runs back for the Anteaters, then a couple of two-out singles in the seventh restored the home team's three-run lead. The score remained unchanged from there.
 
UP NEXT
Saturday's loss sets up a rubber match on Sunday, when the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. from Anteater Ballpark in Irvine. Fans can also follow along on ucsbgauchos.com with live stats and a free audio-only broadcast.