Gauchos rout Long Beach State to extend Big West win streak

UC SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Cory Lewis improved to 6-0 on the season and the Gauchos gave him plenty of run support in a 14-2 rout as first place UCSB improved to 14-2 in the Big West.

UCSB has won 7 straight league games.

The Gauchos hung a six in the bottom of the second thanks to a two-out rally as Nick Oakley tripled deep to right center to score a pair and then trotted the final 90 feet on a Dirtbag error to give UCSB a 3-0 lead.

Then a Jordan Sprinkle triple, a Blake Klassen HBP, and a Bryce Willits walk loaded the bases for Christian Kirtley who cleared them with a three-RBI double to double the lead to 6-0.

Cory Lewis (6-0) saw his best start in the last few weeks tossing 7.2 innings of two-hit, two-run ball to go along with eight strikeouts. He held took a perfect game into the top of the fifth.

Jordan Sprinkle was a homer shy of the cycle going 3-for-3 with a triple, a double, a walk and three runs.

Nick Vogt went 3-for-5 with a double, two runs, and an RBI.

Christian Kirtley and Kyle Johnson each saw three RBI.

UCSB is 25-9 on the year and host Long Beach State at 2pm on Saturday and again on Sunday at 1pm.

(UCSB Athletics contributed to this article).