LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — The Southern California Trojans erased a six-run, first-inning deficit to defeat the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos 7-6 on Tuesday night at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.

The Gauchos battered USC starter Adam Troy early, scoring six runs in the first, highlighted by Xavier Esquer’s two-run double. The Trojans chipped away, with Abbrie Covarrubias delivering a two-run triple in the third and Adrian Lopez hitting a solo homer in the fourth. A passed ball and an RBI groundout tied it.

USC took the lead in the sixth on I. Cadena’s RBI single. Reliever Chase Herrell earned the win with 5 1/3 strong innings, allowing two runs on three hits to steady the Trojans after the rocky start. UCSB’s Stunner Gonzalez led four Gaucho relievers with 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

Southern California improved to 27-3. UC Santa Barbara fell to 16-10.