Brewster, Elliott pitch Vaqueros past Fullerton 3-1

Connor Brewster and Steven Elliott combined on an eight-hitter on Thursday as SBCC rallied for its third straight win, beating Fullerton 3-1 on the Hornets' field.

It was the third straight come-from-behind win for the Vaqueros, who reached the .500 mark (7-7) for the first time this year. The Hornets, ranked No. 8 in Southern Cal, fell to 10-5.

Brewster, a sophomore right-hander from Reno, Nev., went the first 5 1/3 innings, giving up a first-inning run, five hits and walking three. Elliott, a freshman left-hander, went the last 3 2/3 innings, allowing no runs on three hits. He got the win, improving to 3-0.

Andrew Schatz went 2-4 with two RBIs to pace the Vaqueros' 11-hit attack. Designated hitter Zack Stockton was 2-3 with a double.

Wesley Ghan-Gibson's streak of reaching base in 10 straight at-bats ended in the second inning when he grounded out to the pitcher. Gibson, who was 8-for-8 in his last two games, went 1-4 with a walk.

The Vaqueros tied the game at 1-1 in the second when Stockton doubled with two outs, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Schatz' single up the middle. The Vaqueros took a 2-1 lead in the seventh on a walk and stolen base by Reinhard Lautz, followed by an RBI single through the right side by Tyler Rosen.

SBCC got an insurance run in the eighth when Ghan-Gibson walked, pinch-hitter John Jensen singled and Schatz singled. Gibson scored on a fielding error by the left fielder. All three of the Vaqueros' runs scored with two outs.

The Vaqueros are playing four games in four days this week. They'll host Reedley, the No. 2-ranked team from Northern California, in a two-game series on Friday at 2:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m.

Santa Barbara is 4-0 at home this year. The Tigers (12-1) won their first 12 contests, then suffered their first loss, 10-9, at Monterey Peninsula last Friday.