AUSTIN, Texas (Interstat) — UC Santa Barbara (38-19) and Holy Cross (25-29) meet Saturday in an NCAA Division I Baseball Championship playoff game at a neutral site in Austin.

The Gauchos, the seed from the Big West Conference, enter after a 11-5 loss to Tarleton State on Friday. Holy Cross, the Patriot League champion, lost 19-1 to Texas on Friday. Both teams are seeking to stay alive in the double-elimination tournament.

UC Santa Barbara leans on a deep pitching staff, but its offense struggled Friday, managing only five runs. Jonathan Mendez hit a two-run homer and William Vasseur added a solo shot in the loss. The Gauchos have gone 4-4 in their last eight games, including a series sweep of UC Riverside and a win over Cal State Fullerton. They have not won consecutive games since May 10-11.

Holy Cross counterpunches with a lineup that produced 14 hits against Bucknell on May 20 but was overwhelmed by Texas. The Crusaders allowed 19 runs on 19 hits Friday. Their pitching staff has been inconsistent, but they showed resilience earlier this month with three wins at Bucknell and two at Army.

A player to watch for UC Santa Barbara is right-hander Cole Tryba. He pitched 4 1/3 innings in Friday’s loss, allowing six hits and three earned runs with five strikeouts. In his previous three outings — all wins — he combined for 6 2/3 shutout innings, striking out nine. Tryba has a 3.12 ERA over 32 innings this season.

For Holy Cross, right-hander Jaden Wywoda takes the mound after a rough outing Friday. He lasted 4 2/3 innings, allowing eight earned runs with two strikeouts. However, earlier in May he fired a complete-game shutout against Bucknell, scattering two earned runs over nine innings with seven strikeouts. Wywoda owns a 4.89 ERA in 50 innings.

The Crusaders will need Wywoda to rediscover that form against a Gauchos lineup that averages 6.2 runs per game. UC Santa Barbara’s bullpen, anchored by relievers with a combined 3.45 ERA, could prove decisive if the game stays close. Holy Cross is 7-21 against teams with winning records.

First pitch is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at Dell Diamond. The winner advances to face the loser of Saturday’s later game, while the loser is eliminated from the tournament.