The victory improved UCSB to 20-31 overall and 6-13 in the Big West Conference. The Hornets fell to 19-32 overall and 1-18 in league games.

Sacramento State jumped to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning behind a double from Chris Kinsey and a two-run single from Ryan Brown.

UC Santa Barbara answered with a run in the first and took the lead in the second inning with four runs. Chris Wilkerson made the score, 3-2, with his 16th home run of the year. The game was then tied when Josh McCanne homered to center. UCSB took the lead on a single from Licht which scored two runs.

The Gauchos added on to their lead in the third with a pair of runs. The team then scored three runs in the fourth and one in the fifth to pull ahead, 11-3, before Casey Fuller hit his sixth home run of the season to right field.

UCSB matched the run in the bottom of the sixth and posted two more in the seventh. Danny Gill concluded the game’s scoring in the eighth inning when he led off with a pinch-hit home run.

Sean Thompson picked up the win for UC Santa Barbara. The lefty is now 3-3 after allowing six hits and four runs in six innings. Dave Turner, who was making his first Big West start of the year, fell to 0-4 with the loss.

As a team, UCSB tallied 18 hits. Matt Wilkerson ended the afternoon 3-for-5. His second inning home run also moved him into a tie with Kinsey for the Big West lead. Taylor Voght, Chirs Mallec and McCanne all added a pair of hits for the Gauchos.

The Sacramento State offense was paced by Casey Fuller. The Dixon, Calif., native was 3-for-4. Kinsey was the only other Hornet with multiple hits as he recorded two doubles.

The two teams will continue the three-game series on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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Sacramento State (19-32, 1-18) 300 001 010 - 5 8 1

UC Santa Barbara (20-31, 6-13) 142 311 20X - 14 18 1

Dave Turner, Marshall Plouffe (2), Steve Cuckovich (4) and Matt Wilson, Chris McCormack (6); Sean Thompson, Jeremy Sugarman (7), James Dayley (9) and Taylor Vogt, Nic Rodriguez (9).

TOP HITTERS: SAC – Casey Fuller 3x4, HR, 3B; Chris Kinsey 2x4, 2 2B; Danny Gill HR. UCSB – Dave Licht 4x4; Matt Wilkerson 3x5, HR, 2 2B; Josh McCanne 2x4, HR; Taylor Vogt 2x4, 2B; Chris Mallec 2x4 2B; Blair Havens 2B.