AUSTIN, Texas (Interstat) — Sergio Guerra hit two home runs and drove in three runs, and the Tarleton State Texans defeated the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos 11-5 on Friday, May 29, 2026, at UFCU Disch–Falk Field in a playoff game.

Tarleton State improved to 38-19, while UC Santa Barbara fell to 38-19. The Texans outhit the Gauchos 13-9.

Guerra, a catcher, went 2 for 4 with a two-run homer in the fourth inning and a solo shot in the sixth. His two-run blast to left field in the fourth gave Tarleton State a 3-1 lead after UC Santa Barbara had tied the game in the bottom of the first on a solo home run by center fielder Rowan Kelly.

Cage McCloud, the first baseman, went 2 for 4 with a home run and four RBIs. His two-run double in the fifth inning extended the Tarleton State lead to 5-1, and he crushed a solo homer in the ninth.

Jake Tatom, the right fielder, went 2 for 6 with a triple in the ninth that drove in two unearned runs, and he also scored on a wild pitch. Tatom had singled in the first inning and scored the game’s first run on a sacrifice fly by McCloud.

Anthony Treto pitched 3 1/3 innings of relief, allowing no hits and one earned run while striking out six. Cort Lowry tossed 4 innings of relief, giving up no hits and two earned runs with one strikeout.

For UC Santa Barbara, designated hitter Jonathan Mendez homered in the sixth inning, a two-run shot that cut the deficit to 5-4. First baseman William Vasseur also homered, a solo shot in the ninth, and drove in two runs.

Cole Tryba started on the mound for the Gauchos and allowed six hits and three earned runs over 4 1/3 innings, striking out five. Calvin Proskey gave up four hits and three earned runs in 3 1/3 innings.

Tarleton State scored in the first inning on Tatom’s single, a walk and a fielder’s choice before McCloud’s sacrifice fly. UC Santa Barbara answered in the bottom half when Kelly homered.

The Texans broke the tie in the fourth when Isaac Shirey singled and Guerra followed with a two-run homer. They added two more in the fifth on singles by Robert Heinrich and Connor Lorch, then McCloud’s double.

Guerra’s second homer made it 6-2 in the sixth. UC Santa Barbara responded in the bottom half with Mendez’s two-run homer, cutting the lead to 6-4.

Tarleton State added an unearned run in the seventh on Shirey’s bunt single. In the ninth, McCloud homered, and Tatom’s triple scored two unearned runs off Gauchos reliever Krodel. Tatom later scored on a wild pitch.

UC Santa Barbara’s last run came on Vasseur’s homer in the bottom of the ninth, but Treto struck out the final two batters to end the game.

The most important sequence came in the fourth inning when Guerra’s two-run homer gave Tarleton State a lead it never relinquished. The Texans’ bullpen held UC Santa Barbara scoreless from the fourth through the seventh, allowing only two runs on Mendez’s homer in the sixth.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Tarleton State 8, UC Santa Barbara 6. Interstat’s ELO system had projected UC Santa Barbara with a 72.00 percent probability to win.