Box Score SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – UC Riverside (15-21, 4-6) went to extra innings on the road for the first time this season on Friday at UC Santa Barbara (19-17, 5-5), falling to the Gauchos 9-8 after 12 hard-fought innings.

The Highlanders nearly came away with the win after holding slim leads heading into the bottom of the ninth and the 11th, but UCSB had an answer on both occasions. Leading 6-5 late in the bottom of the ninth, UCR would see the game tied at six runs apiece on a wild pitch.

Still tied in the top of the 11th, Dean Miller would lead off with his second home run of the year – a solo shot to left field – to put the Highlanders up 7-6. Soon after, Cody Sporrer and Nathan Webb would both get on base with a single and a walk.

With two outs on the board, Colby Schultz would contribute with a clutch RBI single through the left side, bringing Sporrer home for the Highlanders' second run of the inning.

It wouldn't take long for the home side to respond though, as the Gauchos found success on their first two at bats, the second being a two-run homer to left by Tommy Jew. After the Highlanders had their first three batters retired in the 12th, UCSB would record three more hits, getting the winning run from Cole Mueller.

UC Riverside got out to a fast start, jumping out to a 2-0 lead on a two-run Anthony Lepre homer in the top of the first. Matt Hardy also collected his first of two runs for the day on the play.

UCR's offense did half of its damage for the day in the top of the sixth, when it racked up four runs to take a 6-3 lead. Matt Hardy scored first on a Gaucho error, followed by an RBI single by Tony Gudino to score Anthony Lepre. Gudino and Miller would score the final runs of the inning on a two-run Brenden Avventino single to left field.

Friday's game marked the first time in 15 games this season that the Highlanders fell after leading heading into the ninth. Lepre, Gudino, Sporrer and Avventino all led the way with two hits each as UCR tallied 10 as a team.

The action will resume tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 p.m. at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.