Reports From LBSU, Photos By John Fajardo
Trailing 4-3 in the eighth inning, Long Beach State responded for four runs on four hits including a pair of two-RBI hits from Derek Legg and Kellen Hoime in a 7-4 win over No. 21 Wichita State. Hoime has 3-for-3 on the night with a sacrifice, a run scored and two RBI.
Wichita State got on the board first with an unearned run in the second inning. Travis Bennet led off the inning with a bunt single, and finally came around to score on an error at first base to give the Shockers an early lead.
Long Beach State recovered with an unearned run of their own in the third. Hoime started the inning with a single, and moved to third on an overthrow after stealing second base. Brennan Metzger then singled to score Hoime and tie the game at 1-1.
Wichita State retook the lead with a solo home run by Cody Lassley in the sixth inning, but again the Dirtbags were able to answer in the bottom of the inning with a run on an RBI single by Joey Terdoslavich.
The Dirtbags used a leadoff walk and an error to push another run across in the seventh inning, taking their first lead of the game at 3-2.
A single and a walk from the Shockers chased Long Beach State’s starter Jake Thompson (above) out of the game, who had a season-high seven strikeouts in seven innings of work. Ryan Donohue picked up the first out of the inning, and then with the bases loaded, David Brown was able to strike out pinch-hitter Chris O’Brien. Ryan Jones singled to score two runs and give the Shockers the lead, but Brown got out of the inning with a groundout back to the mound to keep the damage minimal.
The Shockers were able to get the first out of the inning in the bottom half of the eighth, but Terdoslavich started a run of four straight hits for the Dirtbags. With the bases loaded, Derek Legg doubled in the gap in right-center to put the Dirtbags ahead, and then Hoime picked up his third hit of the day to score Juan Avila and Legg, giving the Dirtbags a 7-4 lead.
Brown retired the side in order in the ninth to earn his second win of the season, pitching 1.2 innings and finishing the game.
Both teams return to Blair Field for the rubber game in the series tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
