Reports From LBSU
Down 5-0 after two and a half innings, Long Beach State mounted a rally and the Dirtbags prevailed with a final run in the eighth inning, winning 9-8 on Tuesday over Pepperdine. Three was the magic number for the Dirtbags, as Kellen Hoime scored three runs, Jonathan Jones drove in three andTJ Mittelstaedt had three hits in the victory.
Junior Kenny Arnerich had a career night for the Dirtbags in relief of Branden Pinder, whose recent struggles continued as the sophomore allowed three runs in 1.2 innings. Two more unearned runs would score in the third inning to give Pepperdine a 5-0 lead.
The Dirtbags loaded the bases in the bottom of the third though, and Tre Dennis came through with a two-run double to start a four-run rally in the inning to cut the Pepperdine lead to one at 5-4.
Turning the ball over to Arnerich, the junior responded with a career-high 3.2 innings of relief, striking out two and getting the Dirtbags to the rest of the bullpen in the seventh inning.
In the meantime, Long Beach State scored four more runs in the sixth to take the lead. A bunt single by Mittelstaedt started the inning, followed by a walk and a hit batter to load the bases for pinch-hitter Juan Avila, who drove in the first run of the inning. Jones followed with a bases-loaded walk, and a two-run single by Joey Terdoslavich put the Dirtbags in front 8-5.
After giving up three runs to Pepperdine in the seventh, tying the game, Long Beach State brought across the winning run in the eighth. Hoime started the inning by drawing a leadoff walk, and two bunts followed, one of which was mishandled by pitcher Jordan Luvisi to put two runners on with one out, and a sacrifice fly brought Hoime home for a 9-8 lead. Cris Trout would hold that lead in the ninth to pick up his second win of the year.
Jones finished with three RBI without a hit on an 0-for-2 day in a masterpiece of small ball. Jones finished with a sacrifia sacrifice fly, an RBI groundout and a bases-loaded walk to account for his trio of runs batted in on the day.
Long Beach State finishes the season with one final series, hosting No. 22 UC Irvine at Blair Field over the weekend. The Black and Blue rivalry commences on Friday at 6:30 pm.