April 29, 2012
Final Stats
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Brett Morgan was 2-for-3 while Tom Briner carried a one-hitter into the sixth inning, but UC Santa Barbara edged out UC Davis 3-2 in the series finale on Sunday at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
UC Davis drops to 16-23 overall and 4-8 in the Big West while UC Santa Barbara improves to 23-19 and 9-6 in league action.
Briner gave up just three runs on five hits in the loss to move to 2-6 on the year. He started strong, allowing a hit in the second inning when Greg Mahle singled into right center field before retiring 12 straight until the sixth inning.
Steven Moon broke up Briner's streak with a solo home run to tie the score at one run apiece, but Briner forced a ground out and a pop up for the final two outs of the sixth.
Ryan Palermo led off the seventh with a solo shot of his own, sending a 2-2 pitch over the wall in left center field to retie the game at 2-2.
Harry Stanwyck entered the game in the eighth inning for Briner with runners on first and third with one out, but a wild pitch from the sophomore righty allowed Peter Maris to score and give UCSB its first lead of the game at 3-2.
The game was scoreless until the sixth inning when David Popkins drew a walk, then moved all the way to third on a single into right field by Paul Politi. Nick Lynch's sacrifice fly brought Popkins home and UC Davis took a 1-0 lead.
Moon's homer in the bottom half of the frame tied the game, but UC Davis scored again in the seventh to go up 2-1. Morgan singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch, then reached third on an error. Morgan would score on a passed ball.
Again, the Gauchos responded when Palermo's home run retied the game at two runs apiece. After UCSB took the 3-2 lead, UC Davis was unable to rally, despite having runners on first and third with two outs.
UC Davis stranded 10 runners on base in the loss. Morgan was the only Aggie to record multiple hits.
The Aggies close out an eight-game road trip on Wednesday at Fresno State. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m.
