Dirtbags rally for 5-4 win at USC

Sunday, February 22

Los Angeles, Calif.

1:00 PM

Long Beach State University

1-2

USC

2-1

Long Beach State

USC

Derek Legg was 3-for-5 with two runs scored for the Dirtbags.

2/22/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

Feb. 22, 2009

Box Score

Los Angeles, Calif. - Andrew Gagnon pitched five strong innings in his collegiate debut, allowing only one earned run while Derek Legg was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI as Long Beach State defeated USC on the road Sunday 5-4.

With the win, Long Beach State split with USC and improves to 1-2 on the year. Long Beach State opened by taking a 2-0 lead in the second inning, as Derek Legg singled to start the inning, followed by a Taylor Krick hit to put two runners on. Trever Blood's groundout moved over both runners, and Devin Lohman brought in both with a RBI single to right.

Gagnon avoided trouble though five innings, but coming into the sixth, ran into a solo home run from Grant Green and then gave up a single to Robert Stock, ending his debut outing. With Jeff Lease relieving, the Dirtbags' looked to get their first out on a bad bunt to erase the lead runner. Instead, an error loaded the bases, and a grounder and a second error would bring in two more runs to give USC the lead.

Facing a 3-2 deficit in the 7th, the Dirtbags pulled even with a two-out rally, as Jonathan Jones doubled over the head of Trojan outfielder Mike O'Neill, and Legg drove home the sophomore with his second single of the day. The Dirtbags and Trojans would then trade runs in the eighth, setting the stage for the ninth.

Legg once again came up big for the Dirtbags, reaching with one out on his third single of the day, which was followed by a second single from Krick. Pinch hitter Brandon Young walked to load the bases, and in a nice piece of baserunning, held a pickle on a Devin Lohman groundout long enough to let Derek Legg score before the double play was completed, giving The Beach a 5-4 lead.

With the lead, Charlie Ruiz, who had already retired two batters in the eighth, set down the side in order in the ninth to seal the win, the first of the year for Long Beach State.

Long Beach State is back in action next Wednesday, taking in a midweek game at Page Field against Loyola Marymount on Wednesday at 2 p.m. The team then returns home to Blair Field for a three-game series with Cal. That series begins with a 6:30 start on Friday, February 27.