Long Beach State’s presence on the basepaths continued to unnerve UNLV, as the Dirtbags stole five bases and took advantage of seven UNLV errors in a 13-4 win Sunday. Rylan Sandoval hit his first home run of the season for Long Beach State.

The Dirtbags also got help on the mound, as Andrew Gagnon threw six and a third, giving up three runs and striking out six, and the team combined to pound out fifteen hits. The Dirtbags also dropped down two sacrifice bunts and had two sacrifice flies.

UNLV got started quickly in the top of the first. Ryan Thorton started the game with a double to left, and he would score following a single by JJ Spferra. A double by Jesse Wight put the Rebels up 2-0, but after the hot start, Gagnon would settle down and end the inning with back-to-back strikeouts.

Long Beach State picked up an unearned run in the bottom half of the first to cut the lead to one, and would take the lead in the third inning. Jonathan Jones was hit to start the inning, and a walk to Lohman would put two runners on. A wild pitch pushed both runners over, and a sacrifice fly from TJ Mittelstaedt tied the game. Rylan Sandoval then cracked his first home run of the year with Lohman on base to give Long Beach State a 4-2 lead.

Brian Gilbertson scored for UNLV following a leadoff single in the fourth. From there, both teams settled in and neither team forced a threat until the Long Beach State seventh.

Brennan Metzger and Jones both singled to chase UNLV starter Andrew Beresford. After a double steal, a single from Jordan Casas brought in a run, and then after a third steal in the inning, a single by TJ Mittelsteadt combined with a sixth UNLV error brought home two runs to put The Beach up 7-3.

Long Beach State added six more insurance runs in the bottom half of the eighth, taking even more advantage of the defensive lapses by UNLV as the team batted around.

Long Beach State hits the road for a pair of midweek games against Santa Clara and Cal before returning home for a three-game series against UC Riverside to start Big West play.

Report By LBSU