Report by LBSU

Long Beach State rallied from a 3-0 deficit to grab the lead against the Gauchos, but a 7-run eighth inning put UCSB back on top on the way to an 11-9 win. Devin Lohman was 4-for-4 with a homer and a stolen base to lead Long Beach State.

UC Santa Barbara got started with three runs in the first to grab the lead. Leadoff batter Steve Cook reached after a strikeout on a wild pitch, and after a hit batter and a walk to load the bases, the Gauchos would score three runs on two singles and a sacrifice fly, taking a 3-0 lead.

Long Beach State cut the lead to one with two runs in the second inning. TJ Mittelstaedt and Lohman each singled, and then two runs would score on an error by Shane Carlson and a sacrifice fly.

Andrew Gagnon, after the first inning, settled down and allowed just one more run over the next six innings to keep Long Beach State in the contest. The offense responded, finally taking the lead in the fifth inning. Brennan Metzger was hit to start the rally, and Tre Dennis doubled to score the first run of the inning. Steve Tinoco drove in Dennis with a single to tie the game, and after a double by Mittelstaedt, Derek Legg lifted a sacrifice fly to put LBSU ahead 5-4.

Tinoco drove in two more runs in the seventh with his second hit of the day, and Derek Legg came around to score after a leadoff single in the eighth as Long Beach State would move out to an 8-4 lead.

UC Santa Barbara came storming back in the bottom of the eighth. Matt Valaika was hit to start the inning, and after a single by John DeAlba, Gagnon turned the ball over to the bullpen, which struggled, walking three and needing four pitchers to get three outs as the Gauchos scored seven runs in the frame.

Lohman hit a solo shot to start the ninth, cutting the lead to two at 11-9, but David Meals retired the next three batters to finish out the game.

The Dirtbags travel to UCLA for a Tuesday contest May 12 at 6 p.m., before returning to Blair Field for the final three home games, hosting Cal Poly in a Big West series.