Long Beach State University
0-2
Florida
2-0
Dirtbags Fight Back, Can’t Overcome Early Hole at No. 3 Florida
2/16/2019 5:11:00 PM | Baseball
Long Beach State found itself with an early 5-0 deficit after three innings, but couldn’t get enough key hits to complete the comeback, suffering a 5-2 loss at No. 3 Florida on Saturday. Dominic Campeau and Santino Rivera each had a pair of hits for Long Beach on the night.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Long Beach State (0-2) battled back on Saturday night at No. 3 Florida (2-0) but couldn't climb out of a 5-0 hole, suffering a 5-2 defeat at McKethan Stadium. Dirtbags pitchers held the Gators scoreless after the third inning and the defense turned four double plays, but LBSU left seven men on base and couldn't catch enough breaks to complete the comeback.
Dominic Campeau had a pair of hits on Saturday, including his second double of the season. Santino Rivera also had two hits, including an RBI single in the fourth. Catcher Chris Jimenez drew two walks on Saturday to bring his walk total up to five on the young season, while also adding a base hit in the third inning that nearly scored Tenner Carlson, but he was thrown out at the plate on a perfect throw from Gators center fielder Jud Fabian.
Zak Baayoun started for the Dirtbags, going 5.1 innings while allowing five runs (four earned) and three strikeouts. He was mostly undone by his career-high six walks, and the Gators struck for four runs in the second inning to take the early lead. Baayoun nearly escaped trouble in the second, but a pop up along the right field line split the three converging Dirtbags and ended up as a two-out, two-run double. Florida followed that up with a double and a single to tack on two more runs with two outs in the inning.
After Florida added a run on a sac fly in the third, LBSU immediately answered with a two-spot in the fourth. Luke Rasmussen was hit by the first pitch of the inning, then went to third on a single from Campeau. Following a sacrifice fly from Aidan Malm to open the scoring, Campeau was brought home on a two-out RBI single by Rivera that he lined into right center.
RHP Tyler Gums made his debut out of the bullpen and was effective over his 2.2 innings pitched. Gums allowed a single and a walk, but did not allow a run across while collecting a pair of strikeouts and a pickoff at first.
The Dirtbags will look to take the final game of the series on Sunday as freshman LHP Alfredo Ruiz is scheduled to start opposite RHP Jack Leftwich for the Gators. First pitch will be at Noon ET in Gainesville.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Tommy Mace (1-0)
L: Baayoun, Zak (0-1)
S: Nolan Crisp (1)
Batting:
2B: Campeau, Dominic 1
RBI: Malm, Aidan 1 ; Rivera, Santino 1
SH: Stotler, Brooks 1
SF: Malm, Aidan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rasmussen, Luke 1 ; Campeau, Dominic 1
HBP: Rasmussen, Luke 1 ; Malm, Aidan 1
Batting:
2B: Blake Reese 1 ; Jud Fabian 1
RBI: Austin Langworthy 1 ; Wil Dalton 1 ; Blake Reese 2 ; Jud Fabian 1
SF: Wil Dalton 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nelson Maldonado 1 ; Kendrick Calilao 1 ; Brady Smith 1 ; Blake Reese 1 ; Jud Fabian 1
SB: Kendrick Calilao 1 ; Brady Smith 1
PO: Wil Dalton 1
