STANFORD, Calif. – Trailing by two early, Texas State (46-12) scored four runs in the fourth to go in front for good to claim a 7-3 victory over UC Santa Barbara (43-13) Friday night at Klein Field at Sunken Diamond. It was the Bobcats' fifth ever regional win and first in their opening game since 2000.
 
"This is our first regional in 11 years and I felt like our guys were confident and loose. It was more about how their guy was throwing," said head coach Steven Trout. "Our guys did a good job to slow the game down and take it pitch-by-pitch and hunt mistakes. They finally got them [mistakes] and they made them pay for it."
 
Pacing TXST at the plate was Peyton Lewis as he plated four runs with three coming on his fifth home run of the year. Ben McClain plated two on his fifth round tripper while Daylan Pena went 3-for-4 with a double and RBI.
 
Picking up the win was Zeke Wood (7-1) as he struck out seven in six innings while surrendering three runs on five hits. Austin Smith earned his first career save after throwing 2.2 scoreless innings. The lefty also matched his career-high with four strikeouts. Cory Lewis (9-1) suffered the loss after allowing four runs on five and four hits in five innings.
 
The Gauchos struck first with a run apiece in the first two innings.
 
Starting the bottom of the fourth was a single back up the middle by Justin Thompson that was followed by a free pass issued to Wesley Faison. A 2-2 offering to Pena was sent to right for an RBI double. Lewis followed with a three-run homer to right field to put the Bobcats in front 4-2.
 

OUT OF HERE!!! #SlamMarcos has arrived in Cali with a 3-run ?? from @peytonlewis7 to put us in the lead!#EatEmUp #RoadToOmaha pic.twitter.com/T06OCxb5Lo

— Texas State Baseball (@TxStateBaseball) June 4, 2022

 
A solo shot from UCSB's Nick Vogt in the sixth cut the lead in half.
 
With two gone in the bottom of the frame, Cameron Gibbons was hit by a pitch. McClain saw a 2-0 pitch hang over the plate that he crushed over the right field and into the trees for a two-run home run to increase TXST's advantage to 6-3.
 

GOOD BYE ??!!! @bmicheal37 crushes the ball to increase the lead to 6-3!#EatEmUp #SlamMarcos pic.twitter.com/ZD8wSPuS5D

— Texas State Baseball (@TxStateBaseball) June 4, 2022

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An insurance run was added in the seventh when Lewis drew a bases loaded walk.
 
Smith shutdown the Gauchos over the final 2.2 innings to send the Bobcats to the 1-0 game of the regional.
 
Next up for the Bobcats is a meeting with the No. 2 overall national seed Stanford on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 9 p.m. CT.
 
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