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Austin, Texas -- Big West regular-season co-champion UC Santa Barbara fell to Tarleton State by a final score of 11-5 to open the Austin regional of the 2026 NCAA Baseball Championship, Friday at Texas’ UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
 
The Gauchos drop to 38-19 overall and will face Holy Cross in an elimination game, Saturday, May 30 at 11 a.m. PT. The Texans, the WAC champions, improve to an 38-19 overall record and will face No. 6 national seed and host Texas, Saturday night.
 
UCSB catcher Nate Vargas went 2-for-5. Third baseman Xavier Esquer also recorded multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with one run. First baseman William Vasseur and designated hitter Jonathan Mendez compiled one hit, one run and two RBI apiece.
 
Tarleton State scored immediately out of the gates in the top of the first with a sacrifice fly. The Gauchos responded and evened the score in the bottom of the inning with a home run from center fielder Rowan Kelly.
 
The Texans scored two runs each in the top of the fourth and fifth innings for a 5-1 advantage. UCSB managed to get one back in the bottom of the fifth as Vasseur hit a sacrifice fly to plate Esquer.
 
After a home run from Tarleton State in the top of the sixth, Mendez hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning for the Gauchos to make it a two-run game, 6-4.
 
The Texans answered back and plated one run in the seventh and four in the ninth to total 11 runs on the day. Vasseur hit a home run in the ninth to account for the final score of the game.