12:01pm | Matt Duffy and Jeff McNeil each doubled for Long Beach State, Duffy finishing with three hits and McNeil, two, but No. 6 Arizona State scored early and often in a 9-2 defeat on Saturday night.

After Long Beach State (23-21) went down in order in the first, Arizona State (34-11) took the lead for good in the first inning. After starter Branden Pinder walked the leadoff batter, Johnny Reuttiger, an error on the throw of a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with no outs, and ASU pushed both runs across to take a 2-0 lead.

The Dirtbags got through the second inning with no score, but ASU added two more runs in the third inning on back-to-back doubles by Austin Barnes and Joey DeMichele, the second of his five hits on the day. With Pinder out of the game, the Sun Devils then added three runs in the fourth inning and two more in the fifth to take a commanding 9-0 lead.

The Dirtbags finally got on the board in the eighth inning. With one out, McNeil started a rally with a single, and Michael Hill followed with a single to put two runners on for the Dirtbags. A walk to Ino Patron loaded the bases, and then two runs came home to score on an RBI single by Mike Marjama.

Long Beach State closed out the series with ASU Sunday. Coverage of that game is to follow.