Long Beach State University
3-7
South Carolina
8-1
Tinoco blasts Long Beach State past South Carolina
3/8/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 8, 2009
Long Beach, Calif. - Long Beach State's Steve Tinoco lifted Long Beach State past South Carolina, batting five-for-five with three home runs as the Dirtbags slugged past South Carolina 10-7. Andrew Gagnon collected his first win of the year, striking out seven in five innings of work.
Tinoco's three home runs tied him for the Long Beach State record with Rob Townley and Jaeme Leal.
Long Beach State got to work early, getting the damage done against South Carolina starter Blake Cooper. Cooper, who entered the game without having allowed a run, gave up one in the first on a groundout from Lohman.
The Dirtbags continued to pound Cooper in the seond inning. Tinoco started out the second with his first home run, a solo shot off the batter's eye in center field, and the inning continued with a two-out rally. With Matt Avery on first base, singles from Jordan Casas and Derek Legg brought home a run, a double from TJ Mittelstaedt brought in two more, and another double from Devin Lohman scored Mittlesteadt as Long Beach State took a 6-0 lead.
Tinoco's second home run put Long Beach State ahead 7-0 at the end of the third, but South Carolina would climb back into the contest, as three Gamecock home runs would cut the lead back to two at 7-5.
Long Beach State added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh, as Jonathan Jones and Tinoco hit a pair of one out singles, and both would come home to score on a two-run single by Rylan Sandoval.
The Gamecocks would threaten once more, loading the bases in the eighth inning, but closer Charlie Ruiz finished the inning with a groundout and closed out the ninth inning to seal the win.
Long Beach State returns home for a Tuesday contest with San Diego prior to hosting Washington State over the weekend. The Dirtbags start with the Toreros at Blair Field with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gagnon, Andrew (1-1)
L: Blake Cooper (1-1)
S: Ruiz, Charlie (2)
Batting:
2B: Mittelstaedt, TJ 1 ; Lohman, Devin 1 ; Hoime, Kellen 1
HR: Tinoco, Steve 3
RBI: Legg, Derek 1 ; Mittelstaedt, TJ 2 ; Lohman, Devin 1 ; Tinoco, Steve 3 ; Sandoval, Rylan 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Casas, Jordan 2 ; Legg, Derek 1 ; Mittelstaedt, TJ 1 ; Jones, Jonathan 1 ; Tinoco, Steve 4 ; Avery, Matt 1
SB: Tinoco, Steve 1
HBP: Hoime, Kellen 1
Batting:
2B: Bobby Haney 1
HR: Whit Merrifield 1 ; Nick Ebert 1 ; Andrew Crisp 1 ; Justin Dalles 1
RBI: Whit Merrifield 2 ; DeAngelo Mack 1 ; Nick Ebert 1 ; Andrew Crisp 2 ; Justin Dalles 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Whit Merrifield 2 ; Nick Ebert 1 ; Jeffery Jones 1 ; Andrew Crisp 1 ; Justin Dalles 1 ; Bobby Haney 1
HBP: Whit Merrifield 1 ; Jackie Bradley, Jr. 1
