Long Beach State swiped six bags and walked 10 times, taking a 16-3 victory Friday night over UC Davis in the first game of a three-game series. TJ Mittelstaedt was 3-for-4 with three runs scored, a home run and four RBI to lead the Dirtbag effort.

Long Beach State got to work early, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Jonathan Jones started the inning bunting his way on, sliding in safely. After a walk then put a second runner on, Tinoco doubled, making the score 2-0 Long Beach State.

Tinoco doubled again in the fourth inning, scoring on a Brennan Metzger single to add another run. TJ Mittelstaedt would then follow with his sixth home run of the year, a two-run shot to right center to give the Dirtbags a 5-0 lead.

UC Davis would recover in the sixth inning, as Adam Wilk lost some control after cruising through the first five innings. After a hit batter and a walk put the first two runners on, the Aggies would get two hits and a sacrifice fly, scoring three runs, including two RBI for Tim Busbin.

The Dirtbags answered in the bottom half, however. An RBI single by Mittelstaedt brought in a first run, and then Jordan Casas followed by driving in two runs and coming home to score on a passed ball, as Long Beach State scored four in the half to take a 9-3 lead.

More control issues came up for UC Davis in the seventh, as Matthew Lewis walked the first two batters he faced, and with the bases loaded, walked home a run with a third base on balls in the inning. A pinch-hit single by John Hill drove in two more, and an error and a walk kept the bases loaded with no outs. The Aggies would finally get out of the inning, but not before Long Beach State had scored seven runs, capitalizing on six walks in the inning and a hit batter.

The Dirtbags and Aggies face off again Saturday, with game time set at a special time of 6:30 p.m. Long Beach State will be giving away Evan Longoria bobbleheads to the first 1,000 fans through the gate.

Report By LBSU