Dirtbags Stumble Against No. 6 Mississippi State

Saturday, February 29

Long Beach, Calif.

3 p.m.

Long Beach State University

7-3

Mississippi State

7-3

Mississippi State

Long Beach State

Photo by: John Fajardo

2/29/2020 6:33:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

No. 6 Mississippi State flipped the script on No. 25 Long Beach State on Saturday, holding the Dirtbags to just four hits in a 9-0 shutout victory. The teams were scoreless through five frames but the Bulldogs broke out for four runs in both the sixth and seventh innings to pull away for the win.

By: Tyler Hendrickson, Associate Athletic Communications Director

LONG BEACH, Calif. – It was a pitcher's duel through five innings on Saturday afternoon between No. 25 Long Beach State (7-3) and No. 6 Mississippi State (7-3), but the Bulldogs busted out for four runs in both the sixth and seventh innings to win going away, 9-0. That evens up the weekend series, forcing a rubber match on Sunday morning at Bohl Diamond at Blair Field.

The Dirtbags had just four singles on offense, suffering the team's first shutout loss of the season. LBSU did work three walks, with two of them coming in the first inning to generate the team's best rally of the day. Calvin Estrada started the game with an infield single, and the bases were loaded after walks to Jacob Hughey and Aidan Malm. However, MSU got out of trouble with a strikeout to end the inning.

Sophomore Alfredo Ruiz continued his fine pitching through five innings, but the Bulldogs were able to jump on him the third time through the order. MSU scored four runs on five hits in the sixth to chase him from the game with four runs allowed in six innings. The lefthander still has a solid 1.80 ERA on the season after not allowing a run through his first 19 innings pitched in 2020.

Estrada and Connor Kokx each recorded a hit on Saturday to extend their hitting streaks to five games. Late in the ballgame, Chase Luttrell and Tanner Carlson recorded pinch-hit singles. A total of 17 Dirtbags got a plate appearance in Saturday's game, including relief pitcher Devereaux Harrison who made his first appearance as a hitter in the ninth.

Long Beach State also had a debut on the mound with freshman Troy Taylor seeing his first action on the bump. Taylor pitched 1.1 innings, allowing a run on a hit with a walk and a strikeout. In the ninth inning, the Dirtbags turned to junior Connor Riley, who received his first action on the mound in nearly three years. Riley has missed the past two seasons due to injury, last appearing in a game on June 10, 2017 in the Long Beach Super Regional. Riley was effective on Saturday, tossing a perfect inning with a strikeout.

Despite Saturday's loss, Long Beach State is still off to its best 10-game start to a season since 2015, when the Dirtbags also started off 7-3. It's worth noting that LBSU has played half of its games against nationally-ranked teams in 2020, with nine of those 10 coming against teams form the Pac-12, ACC and SEC.

The teams will decide the series on Sunday with freshman RHP Luis Ramirez (1-0, 3.97 ERA) getting the ball for Long Beach State against RHP Eric Cerantola (1-0, 1.00 ERA) for the Bulldogs. First pitch is earlier than usual, set for 11 a.m.