SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The offensive fireworks exploded Saturday, as the University of San Francisco baseball team dropped two decisions on the road at nationally ranked UC Santa Barbara, a close, 9-8 final of Friday's continued game that went 14 innings, and a 15-3 score in a run-rule-shortened seven-inning game two.
 
Luke Keaschall led the way for San Francisco (4-10), going a combined 5 for 8 with five RBIs, two doubles and a run scored in the two games.
 
GAME ONE
 
The first game of Saturday's twin bill was only supposed to be half a game after it was halted Friday in the top of the fifth due to rain. But the continued game would go nine innings all on its own, as it extended into the 14th inning.
 
San Francisco took four late leads in the first game with an eye on winning the series opener, but the Gauchos (8-5) came from behind every single time. Perhaps the biggest hit of the game came off the bat of Keaschall, when he gave the Dons their first lead of the game in the ninth inning with a clutch two-run go-ahead double that made it 4-3. But Cole Cummings tied it in the bottom of the ninth with a one-out solo home run to send it to extras
 
The Dons took advantage of the international tiebreaker rule being in effect during extra innings, putting a free base runner in scoring position to start each half-inning. USF took leads in the 11th (5-4), 13th (7-5) and 14th (8-7) innings. And each time, UCSB tied the game. In the 11th and 13th frames, it was three extra-base hits that tied it up for the Gauchos. And in the 14th, they loaded the bases with one out, tied it on a bases-loaded walk, then walked it off with an RBI single by Jason Willow.
 
USF had erased a 2-0 deficit that UC Santa Barbara built in the early innings on Friday, which later became a 3-1 advantage Saturday. Kyle Knell hit his first home run of the year and second of his career on Friday right before the lightning forced the game's postponement.
 
Alex Pham threw seven innings of relief on Saturday throwing from the fifth to the 11th innings. He struck out eight and allowed only two earned runs (three total) on five hits in his outing. Landen Bourassa threw four innings on Friday before the delay, striking out six and walking none while allowing two runs in a no-decision.
 
GAME TWO
 
UC Santa Barbara scored runs in each of the first five innings of game two, including six in the second and four in the third, to run out to a 12-2 lead and an eventual 15-3 win.
 
The Gauchos outhit the Dons, 14-7, in the second game and still left 10 runners on base despite scoring 14 runs. Brandon Greim was the lone Don with multiple hits in the nightcap, going 2 for 2 with an RBI. Keaschall had another double in game two, his second of the day, and another RBI to give him five on the day. Five different Gauchos had multiple hits and six drove in multiple runs, led by Willow's 3-for-4 performance with two RBIs and a double.
 
San Francisco and UC Santa Barbara conclude their series at 1 p.m. Sunday. Fans can find all live coverage links on USFDons.com.