LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — UC Santa Barbara scored four runs in the third inning to erase an early three-run deficit and pulled away late for an 8-4 win over Cal State Northridge on Friday night at Matador Field in a Big West Conference game.

The Gauchos improved to 32-15 overall, while the Matadors fell to 24-24.

UC Santa Barbara trailed 3-0 after two innings. Northridge had taken the lead on Matthew Thomas’ RBI single in the first and Kyle Panganiban’s two-run single in the second. The Gauchos answered in the top of the third with four runs on five hits and a walk. Xavier Esquer singled to start the inning and eventually scored on a bases-loaded walk to Nate Vargas. Liam Barrett, who had singled, scored on Rowan Kelly’s single to right. Vargas and Corey Nunez then scored on a two-run single through the left side by Liam Vasseur.

The Matadors cut the lead to 4-3 in the fifth when Thomas homered to left-center. But UC Santa Barbara’s bullpen took control. Reliever Chase Hoover entered with one out in the fifth and delivered 4 1/3 hitless innings, striking out three and allowing no earned runs. He stranded a runner in the fifth and set down 11 of the 12 batters he faced before giving way to Josh Jannicelli in the ninth.

Hoover’s outing earned him top-star honors for the Gauchos. He has now thrown 8 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings over his past three appearances, including two hitless outings against Cal State Bakersfield earlier in the week.

UC Santa Barbara padded its lead in the seventh. Barrett singled and later scored on a single by Kelly, making it 5-3. In the eighth, the Gauchos broke it open with three unearned runs. Noah Karliner doubled and came home when Barrett reached on a fielding error by the first baseman. Barrett moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Vargas. Nunez then scored on Kelly’s second RBI single of the night.

Rowan Kelly finished with three hits and three RBIs for the Gauchos. Liam Barrett also had three hits and scored three times. UC Santa Barbara collected 15 hits in the game, while Northridge managed nine. The Matadors’ Thomas had three hits, including his home run, and two RBIs.

Northridge used six pitchers. Kody King allowed one run over 2 1/3 innings in relief but took the loss. Cody Carson threw 1 1/3 scoreless frames.

The Gauchos will face the Matadors again Saturday in the second game of the three-game series.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of UC Santa Barbara 6, Cal State Northridge 3, and its ELO system gave the Gauchos a 72.30 percent probability to win.