SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Nevada rallied twice to overcome a two-run deficit and a one-run deficit to earn a 5-4 win over No. 20 UC Santa Barbara on Saturday.
Nevada improves to 3-3 with the win and UC Santa Barbara falls to 4-2 with the one-run loss. The Pack manufactured five runs on eight hits including a clutch two-run single by
Patrick Caulfield in the top of the eighth inning to grab the lead.
Tyler Cochran earned his second save of the season, tossing 1.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts to close out the Gauchos.
UCSB scored the opening run of the game with two outs in the bottom of the first inning when Brock Mortenson singled through the right side and drove in Jordan Sprinkle to give the Gauchos an early 1-0 lead. The Gauchos added a run in the second inning, on a ground out by Jason Willow to stretch the advantage 2-0.
Nevada began its comeback in the top of the fourth.
Jacob Stinson and
Tyler Bosetti executed a double-steal perfectly and Bosetti scored on an errant throw.
Dario Gomez followed with an RBI single into center tying the game 2-2 through four innings.
In the fifth, the Pack grabbed its first lead of the series on a single through the left side scoring
Cameron Jowaiszas and putting Nevada up 3-2.
UCSB answered back to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth with a solo homer by Kyle Johnson. The Gauchos would take the lead once again with a single from Johnson in the bottom of the seventh to put the home side up 4-3.
The Wolf Pack took advantage of three consecutive walks by Gaucho pitching loading the bases for
Patrick Caulfield in the top of the eighth. Caulfield sent a single into center field and
Joshua Zamora along with
Dario Gomez scored putting Nevada in front 5-4 through eight innings.
Tyler Cochran (S, 2) was brought on to get the final out of the bottom of the eighth and worked a clean ninth to secure his second save of the season in a 5-4 win.
Jacob Biesterfeld made the start and did not earn a decision after throwing 5.0 innings and allowing three runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts.
Peyton Stumbo (W, 2-0) earned his second win of the season. He allowed one earned run on two hits over 2.2 innings with two strikeouts.
The Pack was led offensively by Caulfield's two RBIs during a 1-for-4 performance as well as RBI from Gomez and Bosetti. Stinson went 3-for-5 with a double and one run scored. Nevada finished with eight hits and four RBI including two extra-base hits and three stolen bases. Bosetti stole two bases and Stinson stole his team-leading third bag of the season. Stinson (.435, 10x23) has a hit in five of six games to start the season with three multi-hit games.
Nevada looks for a series win tomorrow in the rubber match against UC Santa Barbara with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m., at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
