Bats Arrive Too Late in LBSU’s 6-2 Loss to Minnesota

Friday, March 15

Long Beach, Calif.

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

2-14

Minnesota

4-11

Minnesota

Long Beach State

Photo by: John Fajardo

3/15/2019 10:45:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Long Beach State went hitless until a one-out single by Chase Luttrell broke up the no-no for the Gophers, and the Dirtbags made things interesting with two runs in the ninth, but stranded the bases loaded in a 6-2 defeat on Friday night.

By: Tyler Hendrickson, Associate Athletic Communications Director

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Long Beach State (2-14) dropped its series opener with Minnesota (4-11) on Friday night on Bohl Diamond at Blair Field, 6-2. The Dirtbags offense was late-arriving, and despite mounting a ninth inning rally that brought the tying run to the plate, LBSU came up short against the Gophers and sophomore Max Meyer.

Junior Jacob Hughey had an RBI single in the ninth inning to get the Dirtbags on the scoreboard, followed by a nearly-identical RBI single from senior Laine Huffman, who entered the game as a pinch-hitter. That scored Victor Carlino and Santino Rivera, who reached via walk and single respectively to start the rally. Unfortunately, the 6-0 deficit was too much to overcome. Hughey and Rivera did each extend their hitting streaks to four games with their singles in the ninth inning.

Back-to-back RBI singles have things getting interesting in the 9th! Huffman follows Hughey with this base hit to right! That will bring the tying run to the plate! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/FlRNiMrI0b
— LBSU Dirtbags (@LBDirtbags) March 16, 2019

LBSU was held without a hit by Minnesota starter Max Meyer through 6.1 innings until a clean single from Chase Luttrell broke up the no-no in the bottom of the seventh. Meyer also had three hits and three RBIs at the plate to lead the Gophers to the win. Minnesota scored two runs in the fourth, fifth, and eighth innings.

Zak Baayoun got the start for Long Beach State and allowed four runs on 10 hits through six frames. Raul Rizo worked the next two innings allowing a pair of runs before Jonathan Carlos tossed a scoreless ninth inning in relief.

LBSU will look to bounce back on Saturday at 6 p.m. with LHP Adam Seminaris (1-2, 2.59 ERA) getting the ball against RHP Patrick Fredrickson (1-2, 4.34 ERA) for Minnesota.