SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The University of Dayton softball team dropped its first two games of the season Friday at the UC Santa Barbara Gaucho Classic, narrowly falling short to the host Gauchos, 9-8 (9), and then dropping a 10-4 decision to No. 11 Texas A&M. Senior Jordan Jennings and junior Tiffany Ricks both tallied three RBI on the day while freshman Gabrielle Snyder went 4-of-7 at the plate in addition to her work in the circle.

Dayton (0-2) will return to action Saturday morning against CSU Bakersfield for its lone game of the day. First pitch is set for 9 a.m. (12 p.m. ET).

Game One: UC Santa Barbara 9, Dayton 8 (9) | Box Score | Photo Gallery
In a game that saw a combined 31 hits, the Flyers tallied the contest's first two runs in the top of the third inning when, with runners on second and third, senior Kasi Vazquez reached first on a Gaucho error that enabled both runners to score. UCSB led off the third with a triple and the runner was brought home on the ensuing single. XXX Wisdom tallied two RBI with her subsequent home run, giving Santa Barbara the 3-2 advantage.

UCSB (1-0) scored a run in both fifth and sixth innings but the Flyers' bats came alive in the top of the seventh, scoring four runs to stay in the game. Heading into the bottom of the frame, Dayton held the 6-5 lead, but Santa Barbara led off with a solo homer to even the game at six runs apiece. In extra innings, the Flyers went ahead again in the top of the ninth with a two-RBI double from Jennings but the Gauchos claimed the win with a walk-off double, giving UCSB the 9-8 win.

Pingree (1-0) was awarded the win for the Gauchos after tossing the last two outs of the game. Wisdom started the contest in the circle for UCSB, throwing 8.1 innings with five strikeouts to three walks.

Sophomore Emily Froment (0-1) was charged with the loss for the Flyers. She worked the first two innings and faced three batters in the third before coming out. Froment reentered in the eighth and was the pitcher of record when UCSB retook the lead. Freshman Gabrielle Snyder saw action in the circle in relief during game one, throwing 4.2 innings and striking out four to one walk.

Game Two: No. 11 Texas A&M 10, Dayton 4 | Box Score
Dayton got off to a quick start in its second game of the day, scoring two runs in the first inning against 11th-ranked Texas A&M. Senior Rachel Archer led off with a single and junior Natalie Mariano reached on an error. Vazquez moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt but Ricks brought them in with a two-RBI double. A&M put up two runs in the second to even the game at two runs apiece.

Trailing 5-2, Vazquez tallied an RBI on a bases-loaded ground out and Ricks singled in Archer to pull the Flyers to within one, 5-4. The Aggies had other plans, rattling off five runs in the bottom of the frame, pushing their lead to six, 10-4, which would prove to be the final margin.

Junior Kayla English (0-1) was charged with the loss after throwing five innings. She struck out two and walked five while giving up eight earned runs. Froment closed out the game, striking out one and walking two.