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SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Ben Griffin's leadoff single to right fueled UC Davis' eighth-inning comeback during the first game of Saturday's Big West Conference doubleheader in Santa Barbara, California, as he eventually scored following a UCSB wild pitch and a single from Cooper Morrison.
 
As the inning progressed, Michael Campagna's single to right center drove in Morrison and pulled the Aggies within one run, at 4-3, entering the bottom half of that frame.
 
Unfortunately for UC Davis, the Gauchos responded with three runs to extend their cushion to a 7-3 margin, which became the final score after the Aggies were unable to pull closer in its half of the ninth.
 
Jalen Smith started Saturday's first game on a positive note when he opened action with a leadoff double to left field. After taking second on a sacrifice bunt from Morrison he recorded the first run of the day on a single from Jake Brandel.
 
Even though UCSB ended up tying the game by matching the Aggies' run with one of its own in the first, pushing another two across the plate second inning and another in the third, UC Davis remained close to the Gauchos even though they held a 4-1 lead with six more innings remaining
 
Following four innings of shutout baseball, UC Davis' eighth-inning rally pulled them within striking distance until their opponents pulled away for good.
 
In the back-half of Saturday's twinbill, the Gauchos jumped out to an early lead by scoring five runs in the first and tacked on another run in the third. By scoring six runs in the bottom of the fourth, which doubled its lead, UCSB held a commanding 12-run advantage entering the fifth inning.
 
Since neither team scored in the fifth and sixth innings, and UC Davis was unable to trim its deficit to single digits, Saturday's second game ended after seven innings.
 
The Aggies will return to Caesar Uyesaka Stadium on Saturday with a 5-16 overall record and 0-7 mark against Big West teams. By sweeping its home doubleheader, UCSB is now 14-7 and 5-2.
 
In addition to a video stream, live stats are available for Sunday's 1 p.m. series finale.
 
 
 
ABOUT UC DAVIS
Over 700 student-athletes across 25 intercollegiate athletics teams, following the addition of equestrian and women's beach volleyball in 2018, are enrolled in 71 of more than 100 academic programs at the fifth-ranked public school in the nation.
 
Centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe and the Napa Valley, UC Davis is known nationwide as a leader in Title IX gender equity and leadership, ranks annually in the top 10 in diversity and students' social mobility and offers an unrivaled student-athlete experience that features the ideal combination of elite academics, Division I athletics and personal growth.
 
UC Davis is uncommonly committed to preparing student-athletes for life after graduation with Aggie EVO — an innovative student-athlete outcomes program that helps young women and men develop passions, gain real-world experience, and enjoy a successful launch to full-time employment or graduate school. Through Aggie EVO, Intercollegiate Athletics provides unmatched resources and a vast network of working professionals to ensure post-graduation success for its student-athletes.