No. 25 Dirtbags Stay Hot With 10-3 Win Over San Diego

Tuesday, February 25

Long Beach, Calif.

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

6-2

San Diego

6-2

San Diego

Long Beach State

Photo by: John Fajardo

2/25/2020 10:38:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Long Beach State put up season highs in runs (10) and hits (15) in a comfortable 10-3 win over San Diego on Tuesday night. The visiting Toreros mustered just two hits against five Dirtbags pitchers while Leonard Jones launched a two-run home run to ignite the offense.

By: Tyler Hendrickson, Associate Athletic Communications Director

LONG BEACH, Calif. – It was a game of big innings on Bohl Diamond at Blair Field Tuesday night, but fortunately for the home crowd most of those big innings went to the Dirtbags (6-2), who soundly defeated San Diego (6-3) by a 10-3 margin. San Diego got all three of its runs in the fourth inning, but Long Beach State countered with a four-run third, plus three runs in both the sixth and seventh innings.

Sophomore Leonard Jones blasted an opposite-field, two-run home run in the third and also chipped in a sac fly to post three RBIs on the night. That highlighted an offensive performance that saw the Dirtbags pound out a season-high 15 hits, en route to its highest run total of the season.

Four players had multi-hit games for the Beach, led by career-best three-hit efforts from freshman Alex Pimentel and junior Thomas Greely. Pimentel drove in a pair of runs and scored three times from the No. 9 spot in the batting order. Leadoff man Calvin Estrada had two hits and scored twice, while Connor Kokx also had a two-hit effort.

Long Beach State opened the scoring with an RBI single from Estrada, plating Pimentel who opened the third inning with a ringing double to left center. After a Kokx single brought home Estrada for the 2-0 lead, Jones doubled it with his blast over the Jered Weaver Bullpen in right field. It was Jones' second career home run, and first at Blair Field.

BOOM!!! I need a hit with some BOP in it!! Leonard Jones takes this one the other way for a 2-run bomb! It's now 4-0 Dirtbags over San Diego! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/N0brGZ1p4r
— LBSU Dirtbags (@LBDirtbags) February 26, 2020

The Dirtbags went back to work in the sixth, as Tanner Carlson and Pimentel executed back-to-back bunt singles to get a one-out rally going. After a hot-shot grounder by Estrada loaded the bases, Aidan Malm shot a single through the left side to score a pair. Jones tacked on another run with a sac fly to stretch the lead to 7-3.

Aidan Malm extends the Dirtbags lead with this 2-run single through the left side! It's now 6-3 Long Beach State with 2 on, 1 out in the 6th! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/n6NzujcsjQ
— LBSU Dirtbags (@LBDirtbags) February 26, 2020

LBSU would add another three-spot in the next frame, as Pimentel delivered a two-run single back up the middle against a drawn-in infield. He would later score on a wild pitch, adding the extra point to the 10-3 football score.

Infield in 2 runs in! Alex Pimentel singles this back up the box to score Jacob Hughey & Thomas Greely! Dirtbags now lead 9-3 in the 7th. #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/ssQ63bbjQ2
— LBSU Dirtbags (@LBDirtbags) February 26, 2020

Tyler Gums got his first start for the Dirtbags and pitched well, striking out four in three shutout innings. Over the final four innings, the combination of Matt Fields, Devereaux Harrison and Adam Seminaris allowed just one walk to the Toreros while striking out five to end the game without stress.

The red-hot Dirtbags continue their homestand with a marquee matchup this weekend. Long Beach State will put its new No. 25 national ranking to the test against No. 6 Mississippi State during a three-game series. The opener is Friday night at 6 p.m. and fans should also be aware that Sunday's contest was moved up to an 11 a.m. start time, rather than the conventional 1 p.m. start.