ISLA VISTA, Calif. – The Texas State baseball team earned a 1-0 victory over UC Santa Barbara in a high-quality pitcher's duel Friday afternoon at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
 
The Bobcats (8-4) collected their fifth win in a row in the first-ever meeting between the two programs, while at the same time posting their first 1-0 triumph since April 12, 2013 (Louisiana Tech). The Gauchos dropped to 4-8 on the year.
 
Sophomore Nicholas Fraze (3-1) and senior Cam Baird combined for the seven-hit shutout. Fraze matched his career highs in innings pitched (7.0), strikeouts (7) and runs allowed (0), while giving up just five hits and one walk. This marked his second-straight clean sheet, and he has not conceded an earned run in three-consecutive starts. Baird registered his first-career save for TXST after striking out one and giving up two hits and no walks in the final 2.0 frames.
 
The lone tally of the game was scored in the top of the sixth. Junior Jacob Almendarez hit a single up the middle and advanced to second on an error. He then scored the game-winning run on an RBI single from senior Derek Scheible.
 
The home side nearly cracked the scoring column in each of the second, fifth, seventh and ninth innings. The Gauchos loaded the bases in the bottom of the second with no outs, but Fraze posted a strikeout to set up the next sequence. Senior Luke Sherley made a diving stop on a ball hit sharply up the middle to begin a dazzling 6-4-3 double play that ended the threat.
 
UCSB then got a runner to third base with two outs in the fifth but could not send him home. UC Santa Barbara filled up the bags once again in the seventh without the benefit of a hit, but Fraze slammed the door with his seventh and final strikeout. The last gasp came in the final inning when the home team got a pair of two-out singles. The Gauchos looked poised to equalize, but a dropped third strike forced a throw to first base and the runner was called out on a close play.
 
Tommy Jew and Jason Willow both had two hits for the Gauchos.
 
UCSB starter Jack Dashwood (0-2) took the hard-luck loss after conceding one run on just three hits in 7.0 innings. He struck out five and did not issue a walk. Chris Lincoln tossed the final 2.0 frames and posted four strikeouts, no runs and no hits.
 
The Bobcats and Gauchos are slated to continue the series at 4 p.m. March 10. Rain in the Saturday forecast may push back proceedings to a Sunday doubleheader. Be sure to follow Texas State on Twitter @TxStateBaseball for full updates.
 
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