Upset Bid Falls Short in 12 Innings at No. 1 UCLA

Tuesday, May 7

Los Angeles, Calif.

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

11-35

UCLA

38-8

Long Beach State

UCLA

Photo by: John Fajardo

5/7/2019 10:30:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Long Beach State nearly handed the top-ranked Bruins their first midweek loss of the season, but the Dirtbags couldn’t generate enough offense in a 2-1 walk-off defeat in 12 innings. John Sheaks matched his career high with 7.0 innings pitched to give LBSU the chance at the upset.

By: Tyler Hendrickson, Associate Athletic Communications Director

LOS ANGELES – Playing its final non-conference and midweek game of the season, Long Beach State (11-35) nearly made it a memorable one, but fell to No. 1 UCLA (38-8), 2-1, in 12 innings on Tuesday night at Jackie Robinson Stadium. The Bruins won the game on a walk-off passed ball with the bases loaded in the 12^th, dropping LBSU's record in extra-inning games to 0-3 this season.

Tuesday night was the first time Long Beach State had gone to 12 innings this season, and was the longest game innings-wise for the Dirtbags since losing to Texas, 5-3, in 12 innings during the Long Beach Regional on June 3, 2017.

Tuesday night's game belonged to the respective pitching staffs, as the teams combined for just eight hits through the first nine innings and only 13 total for the game. Dirtbags starter John Sheaks delivered what might be his best start as a Dirtbag, matching his career high with seven innings pitched. The senior held the No. 1 team in the country to just one run on four hits with one walk and a pair of strikeouts.

Sheaks allowed a leadoff double, which led to an RBI groundout in the bottom of the first, but settled in and seemed to get more effective as the game wore on. He retired the last seven batters he faced before he was lifted for a reliever. Freshman Alfredo Ruiz took over for Sheaks and pitched three scoreless innings with four strikeouts to get the game through to extra innings.

Ruiz continues his impressive scoreless run, which has now extended to 15.2 consecutive innings. He hasn't given up a run in his last six appearances, allowing only six hits and four walks with 16 strikeouts in 14 IP during those half-dozen outings.

Reliever Tyler Gums allowed a leadoff triple in the 11^th inning but was able to navigate out of trouble with a strikeout, popout and flyout to retire the heart of the UCLA order. He couldn't elude trouble in the 12^th, however, when a misplayed popup in left center was followed by a double to put two in scoring position with no outs. Gums got a strikeout and loaded the bases with an intentional walk before a passed ball allowed the game-winning run to score.

LBSU responded to UCLA's first-inning run by tying the game in the top of the second inning. Aidan Malm led off the inning with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch. Santino Rivera did his job to bring home the run, grounding out to second base to tie the game, 1-1.

Following a leadoff double from Malm, Rivera does the job with this RBI groundout to tie things up, 1-1, with UCLA in the 2nd. #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/3IC6ORS1tp
— LBSU Dirtbags (@LBDirtbags) May 8, 2019

The Dirtbags will return to Big West action this weekend, visiting No. 13 UC Santa Barbara for a tough weekend clash. Game one of the daytime series with the Gauchos will begin at 3 p.m. on Friday.