Dirtbags Let One Slip Away at UC Riverside, 4-3

Friday, April 22

Riverside, Calif.

6:00 PM

Long Beach State University

21-15, 5-5

UC Riverside

16-19, 4-3

Long Beach State

UC Riverside

Sophomore catcher David Banuelos stayed hot at the plate with his third home run of the season on Friday night.

4/22/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

April 22, 2016

Box Score

Riverside, Calif. - Long Beach State suffered a disappointing 4-3 loss in Friday night's series opener, falling victim to a walk-off single from UC Riverside's Vince Fernandez in the ninth inning. The third straight loss drops LBSU to 21-15 and 5-5 in Big West action while matching the longest losing streak for the Beach this season. Riverside improves to 16-19 and 4-3 in the Big West with their third straight win.

The Dirtbags were in good shape in the top of the sixth inning as David Banuelos drilled his third home run of the year with a solo shot to left center. That put the Beach up 2-0 in support of starter Chris Mathewson, but things took a turn in the wrong direction in the bottom of the frame.

Highlanders leadoff batter Mark Contreras walked, moved to second on a wild pitch, then made it to third on a throwing error by Mathewson on a pick-off attempt. After a strikeout and a walk, a fielder's choice allowed UCR's first run to score, but the throw from Jarren Duran on the potential double play ball scooted into the Dirtbags dugout for the second error of the inning. Back-to-back singles from Austin Colvin and Aaron Cisneros tied the game at 2-2 with two outs, but the rally wasn't over. Colby Schultz grounded a ball to first base, which Daniel Jackson couldn't handle cleanly. As Schultz reached first base safely, Colvin rounded third trying to score. Duran had difficulty picking the ball up cleanly as he came over to assist Jackson, and Colvin beat the throw home for a 3-2 Riverside lead.

The Dirtbags battled back to tie the game in the eighth inning thanks to a leadoff single from Jackson, then a double from Zack Rivera. With the potential go-ahead run in scoring position and no outs, LBSU settled for just one run as Banuelos' sacrifice fly brought Jackson in to score. Though it tied the game, it registered as a missed opportunity to put up a crooked number. The Dirtbags also had a bases loaded, no outs situation in the fifth but failed to score.

Fernandez delivered his second hit of the night in the ninth inning to deliver the walk-off RBI. He jumped on the first pitch from LBSU reliever Lucas Jacobsen, lining it over a diving Rivera in right.

Jackson had a pair of hits for Long Beach State, including an RBI double to score Luke Rasmussen and give the Dirtbags a 1-0 lead in the fourth.

Darren McCaughan (6-1, 1.78 ERA) will look to get the Dirtbags back on track when he starts Saturday's game against Ricky Delgado (0-6, 5.40 ERA). First pitch is at 6 p.m. in Riverside and the game will again be streamed online on ESPN 3.

NOTES: Banuelos made his 18th start Friday, matching Eric Hutting's 18 starts behind the plate for an even time share at catcher … Banuelos is now tied for second on the team with three homers, is third on the team with 15 RBIs, and is hitting .417 with a .750 slugging percentage in Big West games … Garrett Nelson played center field for the second straight game after pinch hitting for Joey Sanchez in the eighth … LBSU is now 2-3 in games decided in the final at-bat.