AUSTIN, Texas – Tarleton State showed no nerves playing its first NCAA Regional in its D1 era, starting strong and maintaining composure throughout in its NCAA postseason opening victory.
The 3-seed Texans (38-19) defeated 2-seed UC Santa Barbara (38-19) 11-5 to open their run in the NCAA Regional in Austin on Friday night at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. Tarleton State has won its first NCAA postseason game since 2014, improving to 3-8 all-time in NCAA Regional games, with their other win coming in 1998. This is the first time Tarleton State has won its opening game of its NCAA Regional in the Texans' fifth ever NCAA Regional appearance.
Tarleton State also became the first team in the last nine years to win its NCAA Division I Tournament debut, last accomplished by Davidson and Florida Gulf Coast in 2017.
The Texans will now square off against 1-seed, and No. 6 nationally ranked, Texas on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT in Austin at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. This will mark the second matchup this season between Tarleton State and Texas, with the Texans upsetting the then-No. 2 ranked Longhorns in Austin 6-1 on March 17. That was Tarleton State's best ranked victory in program history, as the Texans' allowed Texas to just two hits on the night. On Saturday, Tarleton State will host another pregame tailgate in the same location, just outside the left field wall with limited drinks provided and Smokey Mo's BBQ catering. Fans can bring their own food and drinks, as well. The tailgate will start at 3:30 p.m.
On Friday, Tarleton State catcher
Sergio Guerra launched two home runs, becoming the first Texan with multiple home runs in a game in their NCAA postseason history. He finished 2-for-4 with a walk, three RBI and three runs.
Cage McCloud had a game-high four RBI, going 2-for-4 with a home run and a double.
Ike Shirey and
Jake Tatom also had multiple hits for the Texans, with Shirey going 3-for-5 with an RBI and run. Tatom went 2-for-6 with a two RBI triple.
Tarleton State started
Cort Lowry on the mound, who logged 4.0 IP, allowing two earned runs on three hits, a walk and two hit batters with a strikeout.
Karsen Davis improved to 7-0 in relief, allowing two earned runs on three hits with a strikeout in 1.2 IP.
Anthony Treto earned his eighth save of the season, going the final 3.1 IP, striking out six, allowing one earned run on three hits and a walk.
The Texans dropped the Gauchos in their first meeting in series history, UCSB's third straight loss on the year. UC Santa Barbara won the Big West regular season championship and earned the 2-seed in the NCAA Austin Regional with an at-large berth.
Texan Nation showed out at a pregame tailgate and flooded the stands, with 6,833 the recorded attendance. To give the Purple and White fans something to cheer right away, Tatom opened with a single,
Slade McCloud walked,
Carson Lorch was hit by a pitch and
Cage McCloud got the Texans on the board with a sacrifice fly.
UCSB's Rowan Kelly responded in the bottom half with a solo shot to tie the game 1-1, which remained the score through three innings.
In the fourth, Guerra launched his first of two home runs to left field, a two-run shot to boost Tarleton State ahead 3-1. In the fifth,
Rayner Heinrich began a two-out rally with a single, followed by a
Carson Lorch single, leading to more RBI for
Cage McCloud, who boosted Tarleton State ahead 5-1 with a two RBI double.
In the bottom of the fifth, Davis spelled Lowry with two men on and no outs, and he limited the damage to just a single run for the Gauchos. Tarleton State led 5-2 after five.
Guerra opened the sixth with his second home run of the day, a solo shot to left field, his fourth home run in the last three games. In addition to becoming the first Texan with multiple home runs in an NCAA postseason game, he became the fourth Texan this season with multiple home runs in a game. He now has nine overall on the season.
UCSB put together its best offensive chance in the sixth, opening with a single and then a two-run home run by Jonathan Mendez. The Gauchos got a double later, but Treto got the Texans out of the jam.
In the seventh, the Texans added another run on a Shirey RBI bunt single with two outs. In the bottom of the seventh, UCSB got two on again, and Treto once again shut the door with back-to-back strikeouts.
Cage McCloud opened the ninth with a solo home run, his 10th of the season, to make it an 8-4 game. Tatom added two more on a two RBI triple, and then scored on a wild pitch to make it an 11-4 game. The Gauchos added one in the ninth to make it an 11-5 final, with the Texans outhitting the Gauchos 13-9.
Now Tarleton State turns its attention to Saturday for its game against Texas. The winner of that game will move on to the NCAA Regional Final on Sunday at 5 p.m. CT.
