Freshman catcher Cashel Duggar smoked a low offspeed pitch down the first-base line with two runners on.

Rather than escaping the infield for a hit, the ball was cleanly picked at first base, turning a hard-hit ball into an inning-ending 3-6-1 double play.

With runners on first and second three innings later, sophomore outfielder Payton Brennan lined an outside pitch into the left-center gap.

Once again, the Gauchos made a play as the ball flew directly to the center fielder positioned near the gap, another scoring opportunity passing fruitlessly for the Bruins.

“We hit some balls really hard,” said coach John Savage. “We had nine hits plus a bunch more at-bats that were line drives.”

UCLA baseball (13-21, 6-12 Pac-12) outhit its adversaries 9-5 but fell 6-0 to UC Santa Barbara (22-10, 8-4 Big West). The game tied the season series between the fellow UC schools at one apiece and brought the Bruins’ season record against Big West opponents to 2-3.

In the bottom of the second, the game quickly got out of hand as the Gauchos scored the eventual difference maker. Following a pair of singles and a walk, UCSB catcher Aaron Parker slugged a no-doubter to left field, digging the Bruins a hole they would never crawl out of.

“One swing got us,” Savage said. “Walk a guy, couple singles and then the grand slam was the difference in the game.”

UCLA’s efforts were futile at the plate Tuesday night, getting shut out for the second time this season. The Bruins managed to get on base in each of the first seven innings, but only once advanced past second safely.

On multiple occasions, scoring opportunities were squandered by outs on the basepaths, with two runners caught stealing and Brennan getting thrown out at third and home, respectively, on two separate occasions.

“We could have had some situations go our way,” said senior outfielder Carson Yates. “But they played some good defense and made some good plays.”

The Bruin lineup had bright spots despite the shutout, with multi-hit games from Yates – who tallied his first two hits of the season – and freshman shortstop Roch Cholowsky.

“I was going up there, just looking for heat,” Yates said. “I got what I wanted and got my swings off.”

After freshman right-hander Luke Rodriguez was pulled following the third inning, the bullpen fared better, with three pitchers combining to allow only two hits and one earned run across the remaining five innings.

Freshman right-hander Justin Lee, coming off of a rough appearance against Washington on Sunday, in which he allowed five runs and recorded only one out, tossed 2.1 frames of one-hit ball, striking out three Gauchos.

“I was just throwing strikes,” Lee said. “Trusting myself, my abilities and believing that my stuff plays and that they won’t hit it if I throw it in the zone.”

Pac-12 play will resume at Jackie Robinson Stadium on Friday as UCLA takes on Arizona State in a three-game set.