SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (Interstat) — Connor Ross homered twice and drove in four runs as California Baptist overwhelmed UC Santa Barbara 8-3 on Monday afternoon at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium in an afternoon game that stretched into the evening.

The Lancers, bouncing back from a 19-2 loss to Sacramento State the previous day, improved to 40-12. The Gauchos dropped to 34-16.

Ross, the third baseman, provided the key blows in a game that was never close. He hit a two-run homer down the right-field line in the third inning after Chris Ramirez had singled home the game’s first run. Then in the seventh, Ross led off with a solo shot to left field. Two batters later, Cole Howarth made it 7-0 with a two-run homer to right. Ross added an RBI double in the eighth.

Howarth finished with three hits and three RBIs. The Lancers amassed 13 hits, while the Gauchos managed only three. California Baptist’s extra-base hits included three home runs and a double.

California Baptist starting pitcher Bryan Peck dominated through six innings, surrendering two hits and two walks while striking out six. He did not allow a runner past second base. Cameron Teper, Alfredo Capacete and Zachary Yates combined to close out the game. Teper worked a scoreless seventh, Capacete handled the eighth despite allowing three unearned runs, and Yates retired the side in order in the ninth.

The Gauchos’ only rally came in the eighth. With the score 8-0, Xavier Esquer walked and Noah Karliner singled. Liam Barrett doubled to the right-field corner, scoring both runners. Barrett later scored on a throwing error by second baseman Bryce McFeely, but Rowan Kelly struck out to strand two runners and end the inning.

UC Santa Barbara starter Nathan Aceves lasted three innings, allowing three runs on two hits and a walk. He struck out two. The bullpen of Raymond Olivas, Chase Hoover, AJ Krodel, Donovann Jackson, Nic Peterson and Van Froling gave up five more runs over the final six innings. Hoover, who entered in the fourth, allowed two runs on three hits in 2 2/3 innings.

The Lancers broke on top in the third. Ben Castelli walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a groundout before Ramirez singled through the left side. After a strikeout, Ross homered to make it 3-0. In the fourth, Castelli singled home Howarth, who had singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Howarth later stole second but was left stranded.

The game was in hand by the seventh when Ross and Howarth connected again. Bryce McFeely singled ahead of Howarth’s blast. The Lancers added a final run in the eighth when Camden Andrews walked and scored on Ross’ double.

Defensively, California Baptist turned two double plays, including a pitcher-to-second-to-first twin killing in the third inning that erased a Gaucho baserunner.

The victory avenged an 11-6 loss at home to UC Santa Barbara on April 20. California Baptist has now won four of its last five games. The Lancers travel to UC Davis for a three-game series starting Wednesday. UC Santa Barbara hosts UC Riverside for a three-game set beginning Thursday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected an 8-6 victory for California Baptist, but the ELO system gave UC Santa Barbara a 71.60 percent probability to win. The Gauchos were installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5 runs.