Long Beach State University
26-26, 14-12
Cal State Fullerton
19-32, 11-15
Dirtbags Secure Series with 4-3 Victory over Cal State Fullerton
5/21/2022 6:48:00 PM | Baseball
It is Long Beach State’s second consecutive rivalry series win over the Titans.
The series victory marks the Dirtbags' second consecutive series win over rival Cal State Fullerton and they have won five of the last six meetings. The last time they accomplished that was the 2017 regular season when Long Beach State won both the non-conference and conference matchups with the Titans.
Juaron Watts-Brown moved up a day for the Saturday afternoon start rather than the usual series finale nod. The redshirt freshman put together another quality start picking up the victory (3-4) with seven innings, allowing three runs on nine hits while striking out 11 and walking none. It is the third time in his last four starts he has recorded double-digit strikeouts and now has 99 for the season.
For the third time in his last four starts, @JuaronWatts has double-digit strikeouts ??
— LBSU Dirtbags (@LBDirtbags) May 22, 2022
His ELEVENTH ends the seventh! pic.twitter.com/yBGvzoLuz7
Cal State Fullerton jumped out to an early lead with three straight singles to open the ballgame and plate their first run of the day. They added another in the third before the Dirtbags could respond.
In the bottom half of the third, Alex Pimentel and Tanner Carlson started things off with back-to-back singles. Two batters later, Rocco Peppi sent a two-strike single through the right side to put the 'Bags on the board.
Both teams would score in the fifth with Peppi recording his second RBI single in consecutive at-bats. After a double and a walk put two runners on with two out, the redshirt freshman lined one into center field to make it a 3-2 ballgame.
Long Beach State claimed the lead in the bottom of the sixth after a single, hit by pitch, and walk loaded the bases forcing the Titans to go to the bullpen. Taking over on the mound, Michael Wesiberg's first pitch hit Pimentel to force in a run and two batters later, Connor Burns' sac fly put the Dirtbags out in front.
The 4-3 lead would hold with Devereaux Harrison allowing just a bunt single in two innings out of the bullpen. The sophomore struck out three Titans while recording his fourth save of the season.
The Dirtbags will look to sweep the Titans in Sunday's series finale. First pitch from Bohl Diamond at Blair Field will be at 1:00 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Watts-Brown, Juaron (3-4)
L: Gil, Ryan (3-2)
S: Harrison, Devereaux (4)
Batting:
2B: Nankil, Nate 1 ; Navyac, J.T. 1
RBI: Schell, Austin 2 ; Lew, Zach 1
SH: Pigford, Deylan 2
SF: Schell, Austin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Connor, Caden 2 ; Haley, Jack 1
SB: Nankil, Nate 1
PO: Navyac, J.T. 1
Batting:
2B: Carlson, Tanner 1
RBI: Peppi, Rocco 2 ; Pimentel, Alex 1 ; Burns, Connor 1
SF: Burns, Connor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Schulze, Peyton 1 ; Rosales, Javier 1 ; Pimentel, Alex 1 ; Carlson, Tanner 1
HBP: Rosales, Javier 1 ; Pimentel, Alex 1
