Dirtbags Scratch Out 6-4 Win Over Minnesota

Saturday, March 16

Long Beach, Calif.

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

3-14

Minnesota

4-12

Minnesota

Long Beach State

Photo by: John Fajardo

3/16/2019 10:27:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

All four of Long Beach State’s RBIs came without a hit as the Dirtbags earned a scrappy 6-4 win over Minnesota to even the weekend series. Senior Brooks Stotler had a pair of hits, stole a base, and scored three times to help fuel the LBSU attack.

By: Tyler Hendrickson, Associate Athletic Communications Director

LONG BEACH, Calif. – The Dirtbags (3-14) earned a gutty 6-4 victory over Minnesota (4-12) on Saturday evening by manufacturing runs and making key pitches late in the ballgame. The Gophers loaded the bases in the ninth inning but junior Dylan Spacke got a strikeout to end it and preserve the two-run win.

Senior Brooks Stotler was a catalyst for the offense, recording a pair of hits, a stolen base, and three runs scored out of the No. 2 spot in the lineup. Leadoff man Laine Huffman had a pair of hits, as did cleanup man Calvin Estrada. Junior Jacob Hughey had a pair of sacrifice flies to run his team-leading RBI total to 10. Dominic Campeau also had a sac fly and Jake Vander Wal delivered an RBI groundout to represent LBSU's run production. The Dirtbags also scored on an error and a wild pitch to reach its run total of six on the night.

Jacob Hughey lines out to center for his second sac fly of the night and his 10th RBI of the season! Dirtbags now lead Minnesota 5-4 in the 7th! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/uXxkYAlkBw
— LBSU Dirtbags (@LBDirtbags) March 17, 2019

Starting pitcher Adam Seminaris matched his career high with 7.0 innings pitched, and worked into the eighth inning for the first time in his career. After allowing an unearned run in the first inning, he allowed three runs in the fourth inning including a two-run home run. From that point on, however, he put up three straight perfect innings before a leadoff single in the eighth ended his outing. Tyler Gums got an immediate double play ball to help him out of the eighth, and after allowing a pair of hits in the ninth, he was lifted for Spacke who recorded a walk and a bases-loaded strikeout to lock down the save.

Wow! What a diving grab by Calvin Estrada in RF and the Dirtbags are one out away from the win! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/Ptlc0gKW9w
— LBSU Dirtbags (@LBDirtbags) March 17, 2019

FINAL: Dirtbags 6, Minnesota 4
Spacke slams the door with the strikeout looking to strand the bases loaded and the Dirtbags win it to even the series! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/PJQfrsHhxy
— LBSU Dirtbags (@LBDirtbags) March 17, 2019

The key moment of the night was in the seventh inning when the score was tied, 4-4. Huffman led off the inning with a bunt single and reached second base on an errant throw. Stotler followed with another bunt single to put runners at the corners with no outs. Hughey did his job with a sac fly to center, then Estrada's single allowed Stotler to move first to third. That set up Vander Wal for a straightforward RBI opportunity, which he converted on a fielder's choice grounder to second.

LBSU will look to finish off its first series win of the season on Sunday as LHP Basilio Pacheco (1-2, 3.14 ERA) will toe the rubber. He'll be opposed by RHP Joshua Culliver (0-1, 5.94 ERA) for the Golden Gophers with first pitch at 1 p.m.

Here's Brooks Stotler discussing LBSU's 6-4 win over Minnesota tonight!
Stotler had a pair of hits, a stolen base & 3 runs scored. His teammates are....a little excited about the interview. #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/Fmjh6IzCkD
— LBSU Dirtbags (@LBDirtbags) March 17, 2019