SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - A pair of home runs and an early lead weren't enough for LMU Baseball on Friday afternoon, as the Lions fell 8-5 to UC Santa Barbara in the opener of a three-game weekend series at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium. 

LMU (24-26) jumped out to a fast start behind the bat of Nate Savoie, who crushed a two-run homer to left in the top of the first to put the Lions ahead 2-0. It was Savoie's 14th home run of the season and part of a strong day for the sophomore designated hitter, who finished 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, and three RBIs. 

The Gauchos (33-16) responded immediately with a four-run bottom half. 

After UCSB added three more runs in the second to stretch the advantage to 7-2, the Lions chipped away. Kolton Freeman drove in Savoie with an RBI single in the fourth, and Beau Ankeney followed with a two-run blast to left center in the fifth, his 14th of the year, to cut the deficit to 7-5. 

Cam Hassert notched another multi-hit effort at the top of the lineup, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Zion Williams added a hit, a stolen base, and a run scored, while Freeman added the RBI single. 

On the mound, Avery Laine (4-1) suffered his first loss of the season, allowing seven earned runs over 5.0 innings. Jacob Hughes was steady in relief with two innings of one-run ball, and Zack Mack pitched a clean eighth to keep the Lions within striking distance. 

Defensively, LMU turned a pair of double plays and committed no errors, but UCSB's 13-hit attack and four home runs proved decisive.  

The Lions will look to bounce back in game three of the series on Saturday afternoon.