7:07pm | Shawn Stuart allowed one run over seven innings in his first start of the season to set the stage for a three-run sixth for Long Beach State, which took the third game of the series against No. 15 Oregon with a 4-1 win on Sunday.
Matt Hibbert hit a two-run double to give the Dirtbags the lead and LBSU held on for the win.
A leadoff double came around to score in the top of the first inning for the Ducks, as KC Serna got Oregon off to a fast start, though it would stand as Oregon’s only run of the game. Serna advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a ground ball double play, one of three turned by the Dirtbags Sunday. Stuart would walk the next two batters, but got Danny Pulfer to fly out to right field to end the inning.
Oregon’s starting pitcher, Christian Jones, was dominant early, pitching four perfect innings while striking out eight, including setting down the side on strikes in the third inning, and had faced the minimum through five innings.
In the sixth, Long Beach State not only busted up the no-hitter, but also broke the game open as Jones began to tire. Jeff Yamaguchi started off the inning with a comebacker up the middle, and Kirk Singer followed with a base hit to put two runners on for Long Beach State.
A perfect bunt by Royce Murai moved both runners over, and after a walk to Brennan Metzger, Hibbert came through with the big hit of the day, a double that scored a pair of runs and put Long Beach State on top. Metzger then came home to score on a wild pitch, adding a third run for Long Beach State in the inning.
The Dirtbags added an insurance run in the eighth inning as Murai drew a leadoff walk and Matt Duffy singled to bring in the run, putting Long Beach State on top 4-1. Eddie Magallon, who had entered in relief of Stuart in the top of the eighth, set down the side in order in the ninth to record his first save after two hitless innings.
Long Beach State returns to Blair Field once more for the final game of an 11-game homestand, hosting Hawaii on Monday night at 6:30 p.m.