Long Beach State University Athletics
Long Beach State University
28-26, 11-13
Cal State Fullerton
34-22, 19-5
Rasmussen Hits Sixth Homer But Dirtbags Fall In Finale
5/23/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
FULLERTON, Calif. -- Long Beach State pounded out 10 hits in its season finale but ultimately fell 5-3 at Cal State Fullerton. Luke Rasmussen blasted his sixth home run of the season in the season-ending loss.
The Dirtbags (28-26, 11-13 Big West) jumped on top in the top of the first but fell behind in the bottom half and couldn't make up the deficit. Tristan Mercadel, who was 3-for-5 on the day, singled in his first at bat and moved to second on a failed pickoff. Brock Lundquist dropped a single into center to drive him home and put the Dirtbags on top 1-0.
The Titans (34-22, 19-5 Big West) quickly responded as a leadoff walk was cashed in on Josh Estill's single. Jerrod Bravo gave the Titans the lead when he followed with a run-scoring double. A single and an error to start the second put runners on the corners with no outs but Darren McCaughan relieved Ryan Strufing on the mound and slammed the door on the rally with a strikeout and two pop ups.
The Titans went up 3-1 in the fifth before the Dirtbags lit up the scoreboard again. Rasmussen launched a solo homer just inside the left field foul pole to bring the Dirtbags back within one. After a wild pitch moved a runner into scoring position in the bottom half of the inning, Dustin Vaught singled to increase the lead back to two.
The teams traded runs again in the seventh as Garrett Hampson made the most out of reaching on an error. He moved up to third on Mercadel's single and slid in just under a tag at the plate after a pitch in the dirt scooted away from AJ Kennedy. Josh Vargas flashed his speed in the bottom half when he scored on a throw down to first after a dropped third strike.
The Dirtbags put a runner on third in the eighth but stranded him there for the third consecutive inning. Hampson singled in the ninth but was retired on a grounder up the middle to end the game.
The Dirtbags sent six pitchers to the mound in the game. Darren McCaughan threw four frames in relief, retiring the first nine batters he faced. He allowed only one run on two hits while striking out five.
The loss ended the 2015 Dirtbags season. All-Big West announcement will be made next week.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Seabold, Connor (4-3)
L: Strufing, Ryan (0-1)
S: Peitzmeier, Tyler (16)
Batting:
2B: Mercadel, Tristan 1
HR: Rasmussen, Luke 1
RBI: Rasmussen, Luke 1 ; Lundquist, Brock 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hampson, Garrett 1 ; Mercadel, Tristan 1 ; Rasmussen, Luke 1
SB: Rivera, Zack 1
Batting:
2B: Stieb, Tyler 1 ; Bravo, Jerrod 1
RBI: Stieb, Tyler 1 ; Estill, Josh 1 ; Bravo, Jerrod 1 ; Vaught, Dustin 1
SH: Vargas, Josh 1 ; Stieb, Tyler 1 ; Kennedy, A.J. 1 ; Bryant, Taylor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Vargas, Josh 2 ; Estill, Josh 1 ; Richards, Timmy 1 ; Bryant, Taylor 1
SB: Vargas, Josh 1 ; Stieb, Tyler 1 ; Olmedo-Barrera, Davi 1 ; Richards, Timmy 1
