Sunday, March 1
Long Beach, Calif.
11 a.m.

Long Beach State University

8-3

6
vs
2

Mississippi State

7-4

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8
9
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H
E
Mississippi State
2
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Long Beach State
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2020_03_01_Kokx_Connor_vs_MS_01
Photo by: John Fajardo

Dirtbags Earn Impressive 6-2 Win, Take Series vs. No. 6 Mississippi State

3/1/2020 3:39:00 PM | Baseball

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The Dirtbags showed great resolve on Sunday, coming back from an early 2-0 deficit to win the rubber match with No. 6 Mississippi State. Freshman Luis Ramirez threw six shutout innings after giving up two in the first, and Leonard Jones drove in two runs on three hits, including a solo home run.

By: Tyler Hendrickson, Associate Athletic Communications Director

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Sunday's series finale got off to a shaky start for No. 25 Long Beach State (8-3) as No. 6 Mississippi State (7-4) took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. But it was all Dirtbags from that point on as LBSU scored six unanswered runs across five different innings to earn a 6-2 victory and win the series against the Bulldogs. This was Long Beach State's first series win against an SEC opponent since taking two of three against No. 13 LSU during the 2003 season.
 
The Bulldogs struck first with two runs on three hits in the first inning, getting a key two-out, two-RBI single from Kamren James. From there, the Mississippi State offense was held scoreless, with just four hits over the next eight innings.
 
Credit goes to freshman Luis Ramirez who battled his way through seven innings. He gave up seven hits and three walks while striking out four, and made huge pitches in key spots as the game went on. He also got some help from the defense, with Connor Kokx making a terrific catch at the wall in center field and Cole Joy throwing out a runner on a strike-em-out, throw-em-out double play to end a Bulldogs rally in the fifth.
The Dirtbags offense created consistent rallies throughout the game, piling up 11 hits while working four walks and getting two HBPs. LBSU had at least one runner on base in every inning, and hit for power with five extra-base hits on Sunday. The ball was jumping for both teams, with 10 balls recorded with an exit velocity over 100 mph.
 
LBSU got on the scoreboard in the third thanks to a two-out rally from the top of the lineup. After Calvin Estrada walked, Leonard Jones singled to left center to give Kokx an RBI chance. The redshirt freshman delivered with a single through the right side to plate Estrada and cut the deficit in half, 2-1.
 
Aidan Malm got the rally going with a leadoff triple in the fourth inning. He would be brought home on an RBI single back up the middle from Joy to tie the game, 2-2.
The Dirtbags were able to put up a crooked number in the fifth inning, with a little help from a Bulldogs throwing error. Kokx doubled home Jones, who reached on that error, then Chase Luttrell hit a ringing ground-rule double to right center to switch places with Kokx and make it 4-2 Long Beach State.
The offense continued to add insurance runs to help the bullpen, but none was louder than the one added by Jones in the seventh. On the first pitch of the inning, Jones crushed a hanging breaking ball over both walls in left field, for about as close to a no-doubt home run as you can have at Blair Field. Jones was at it again the next inning with an infield single to shortstop that brought home the sixth and final run for the Dirtbags.
Jones led the way for the offense with three hits, while Kokx, Malm and Luttrell each had two-hit performances. Kokx is Long Beach's leading hitter this season with an even .500 batting average while Jones now leads the team outright with two home runs and eight RBIs.
 
After Ramirez made it through seven, Matt Fields came in to work the final two frames on the mound. Fields was perfect again, recording two strikeouts in his two innings of work to pick up the first save of his career. Through 5.0 innings pitched this season, Fields has six strikeouts and has yet to allow a baserunner.
 
So ends the 11-game homestand to open the season, but it was certainly a successful one with three series wins on the resume, including two against nationally-ranked teams. Next up, Long Beach State hits the road for the first time in 2020, facing San Diego State on Tuesday at 6 p.m. The Dirtbags will host another home series next weekend, however, with Xavier coming to Bohl Diamond at Blair Field for a three-game set.

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Next Event

San Diego State
L, 2-7

Mar 3 (Tue)

6 p.m.
Box ScoreRecapPreviewLive stats History
Full Schedule

Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Ramirez, Luis (2-0)

L: Cerantola, Eric (1-1)

S: Fields, Matt (1)

Mississippi State

Batting:

RBI: James, Kamren 2

Base Running:

RUNS: Allen, Tanner 1 ; Foscue, Justin 1

CS: Tanner, Logan 1

Long Beach State LogoLong Beach State

Batting:

2B: Kokx, Connor 1 ; Malm, Aidan 1 ; Luttrell, Chase 1

3B: Malm, Aidan 1

HR: Jones, Leonard 1

RBI: Jones, Leonard 2 ; Kokx, Connor 2 ; Luttrell, Chase 1 ; Joy, Cole 1

SH: Carlson, Tanner 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Estrada, Calvin 1 ; Jones, Leonard 2 ; Kokx, Connor 1 ; Malm, Aidan 1 ; Greely, Thomas 1

SB: Luttrell, Chase 1

CS: Kokx, Connor 1

HBP: Kokx, Connor 1 ; Greely, Thomas 1

Game Leaders

7

Leonard Jones

1b
AB
5
R
2
H
3
RBI
2
36

Connor Kokx

cf
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
13

Aidan Malm

lf
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
5

Chase Luttrell

dh
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1

Players Mentioned

12

Calvin Estrada

OF
/ Baseball
11

Matt Fields

P
/ Baseball
7

Leonard Jones

1B/OF
/ Baseball
22

Cole Joy

C/1B
/ Baseball
36

Connor Kokx

OF
/ Baseball
5

Chase Luttrell

1B/OF
/ Baseball
13

Aidan Malm

OF
/ Baseball
37

Luis Ramirez

P
/ Baseball

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