Sunday, April 25
Long Beach, Calif.
4 P.M.
Long Beach State University
12-11, 10-10
5
vs
8
UC Santa Barbara
26-12, 17-7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
R
H
E
UC Santa Barbara
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
3
0
0
3
8
10
0
Long Beach State
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
3
0
0
0
0
5
12
1
Photo by: John Fajardo
Dirtbags Fall in Extras, Split Series with No. 25 UC Santa Barbara
4/25/2021 9:08:00 PM | Baseball
Long Beach State blew a three-run lead in the ninth before falling in twelve innings on Sunday.
LONG BEACH, Calif. – Long Beach State (12-11, 10-10 BWC) lost 8-5 in extras to No. 25 UC Santa Barbara (27-12, 17-7 BWC) forcing a series split with the Gauchos.
Jack Noble was phenomenal on the mound in the series finale tossing seven innings, allowing just two earned runs on four hits. The right-hander recorded his second double-digit strikeout performance with 10 punch-outs without allowing a walk.
The Dirtbags wasted no time giving some run support to Noble plating a run in the bottom of the first. After back-to-back singles put runners on the corners with two outs, Charlie Loust stepped to the plate and ripped an RBI single to left for the first run of the ballgame.
It remained a one-run game until the fourth when Cole Cummings connected for a leadoff home run to left.
Following back-to-back singles from Chase Luttrell and Connor Kokx, the Dirtbags reclaimed the lead in the sixth on a wild pitch allowing Luttrell to score.
However, the Gauchos responded immediately on a Christian Kirtley home run to the game up once again.
Long Beach State once again reclaimed the lead, this time in the eighth inning. After Luttrell led the inning off with a single to center, Kokx came up with a huge two-run home run to left field. It was the second clutch homer of the weekend for the center fielder, and his fourth bomb of the season.
Loust came up two batters later and launched one off the center field wall putting the redshirt freshman on third with one out. Two pitches later, he would slide in safely on a wild pitch giving Long Beach State a three-run lead heading into the ninth.
After a strikeout started the inning, UCSB loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a single. Their third run of the game would come in to score on a sac fly marking the end of the night for Pacheco. The left-hander tossed 1.2 innings of relief, but would end up being responsible for three runs scored.
Coach Valenzuela went to Matt Fields to try and get the final two outs of the ballgame. However, the Gauchos would tie it up after just two pitches as consecutive RBI singles made it a 5-5 game.
With one out, a hit by pitch and two singles would load the bases up for Kokx. Looking to be the hero once again, the redshirt freshman popped it up to first base. The first baseman caught it on the bag, forcing Luttrell to be doubled off and end the inning.
Neither team could get anything going in extra innings until the twelfth when UC Santa Barbara got a second home run off the bat of Kirtley, only this time it was a three-run shot. The designated hitter went 3-for-5 with the two homers, three runs scored, and four RBI against the Dirtbags on Sunday.
Long Beach State got a two-out baserunner in the bottom half of the twelfth, but a groundout would end the ballgame and hand the Dirtbags an 8-5 loss forcing a series split.
Kokx had the big swing of the night for Long Beach State and finished the night, 3-for-6 with a run scored and two RBI. He has now hit safely in 13 straight games while also reaching base safely in 24 consecutive games.
Luttrell also had a big night, going 4-for-6 with three runs scored. It is his second four-hit game of the season and his career.
Loust and Brennan Rozell posted multi-hit performances as each of them went 2-for-5 at the plate. Loust also walked, scored a run, and recorded an RBI.
The Dirtbags will be back in action next weekend as they hit the road to take on the first place Anteaters of UC Irvine.
Jack Noble was phenomenal on the mound in the series finale tossing seven innings, allowing just two earned runs on four hits. The right-hander recorded his second double-digit strikeout performance with 10 punch-outs without allowing a walk.
The Dirtbags wasted no time giving some run support to Noble plating a run in the bottom of the first. After back-to-back singles put runners on the corners with two outs, Charlie Loust stepped to the plate and ripped an RBI single to left for the first run of the ballgame.
It remained a one-run game until the fourth when Cole Cummings connected for a leadoff home run to left.
Following back-to-back singles from Chase Luttrell and Connor Kokx, the Dirtbags reclaimed the lead in the sixth on a wild pitch allowing Luttrell to score.
However, the Gauchos responded immediately on a Christian Kirtley home run to the game up once again.
Long Beach State once again reclaimed the lead, this time in the eighth inning. After Luttrell led the inning off with a single to center, Kokx came up with a huge two-run home run to left field. It was the second clutch homer of the weekend for the center fielder, and his fourth bomb of the season.
Loust came up two batters later and launched one off the center field wall putting the redshirt freshman on third with one out. Two pitches later, he would slide in safely on a wild pitch giving Long Beach State a three-run lead heading into the ninth.
After a strikeout started the inning, UCSB loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a single. Their third run of the game would come in to score on a sac fly marking the end of the night for Pacheco. The left-hander tossed 1.2 innings of relief, but would end up being responsible for three runs scored.
Coach Valenzuela went to Matt Fields to try and get the final two outs of the ballgame. However, the Gauchos would tie it up after just two pitches as consecutive RBI singles made it a 5-5 game.
With one out, a hit by pitch and two singles would load the bases up for Kokx. Looking to be the hero once again, the redshirt freshman popped it up to first base. The first baseman caught it on the bag, forcing Luttrell to be doubled off and end the inning.
Neither team could get anything going in extra innings until the twelfth when UC Santa Barbara got a second home run off the bat of Kirtley, only this time it was a three-run shot. The designated hitter went 3-for-5 with the two homers, three runs scored, and four RBI against the Dirtbags on Sunday.
Long Beach State got a two-out baserunner in the bottom half of the twelfth, but a groundout would end the ballgame and hand the Dirtbags an 8-5 loss forcing a series split.
Kokx had the big swing of the night for Long Beach State and finished the night, 3-for-6 with a run scored and two RBI. He has now hit safely in 13 straight games while also reaching base safely in 24 consecutive games.
Luttrell also had a big night, going 4-for-6 with three runs scored. It is his second four-hit game of the season and his career.
Loust and Brennan Rozell posted multi-hit performances as each of them went 2-for-5 at the plate. Loust also walked, scored a run, and recorded an RBI.
The Dirtbags will be back in action next weekend as they hit the road to take on the first place Anteaters of UC Irvine.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hall, Clayton (1-0)
L: Clough, Ethan (0-1)
Batting:
HR: Cummings, Cole 1 ; Kirtley, Christian 2
RBI: Sprinkle, Jordan 1 ; Cummings, Cole 1 ; Kirtley, Christian 4 ; Johnson, Kyle 1 ; Willow, Jason 1
SF: Johnson, Kyle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cummings, Cole 1 ; Mortensen, Broc 1 ; Rodriguez, Zach 1 ; Kirtley, Christian 3 ; Willits, Bryce 1 ; Newman Jr, John 1
SB: Kirtley, Christian 1
HBP: Mortensen, Broc 1
Batting:
3B: Loust, Charlie 1
HR: Kokx, Connor 1
RBI: Kokx, Connor 2 ; Loust, Charlie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Luttrell, Chase 3 ; Kokx, Connor 1 ; Loust, Charlie 1
HBP: Lopez, Jesse 1 ; Jimenez, Chris 1
Game Leaders
AB
6
R
3
H
4
RBI
0
AB
6
R
1
H
3
RBI
2
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
2b/3b
AB
5
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
1B/OF
/ Baseball
P
/ Baseball
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