Dirtbags Suffer Heartbreaking Loss on Walkoff Home Run

Tuesday, February 21

Los Angeles, Calif.

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

2-2

LMU

2-2

Long Beach State

LMU (CA)

2/21/2023 9:12:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score

Long Beach State held the lead for the first six innings, but lost 7-5 on a walkoff two-run home run.

By: Collin Robinson, Associate Director of Athletic Communications

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Long Beach State suffered a heartbreaking loss on Tuesday night, falling to Loyola Marymount, 7-5, on the road. The Dirtbags (2-2) led for the first six innings, but LMU (2-2) came back and won it on a walkoff home run.

After a pair of scoreless frames to start the ballgame, Long Beach State broke through in the top of the third. Jashia Morrissey-Jakel got things started reaching on an error before moving up to second on a groundout and stealing third. Nick Marinconz came to the dish with runners on the corner and promptly dropped a single in front of the right fielder to plate the first run of the night.

The Dirtbags would add to that 1-0 lead in their next at-bats starting with a solo home run from Jonathon Long to lead off the inning. His first homer of the season not only cleared the monster wall in left field, but almost cleared the netting protecting the street behind.

Joey Walls came to the plate next and sent a double into left field and eventually came in to score on a Connor Burns sacrifice fly. LMU would respond in the bottom of the third with a run of their own to make it 3-1.

Jake Rons got the start on the mound for the Dirtbags looking to bounce back from his outing on Sunday. The junior right-hander did just that throwing four innings of one run ball while striking out a career-high five batters.

Sky Wells would come on to replace Rons in the fifth and had two quick, clean innings to keep LBSU out in front. However, he would struggle in the seventh as LMU rallied for two runs and tied the game at 3-3.

That started three straight half innings of the team's exchanging two runs each, setting up a 5-5 ballgame heading into the ninth.

In the bottom of the ninth with two outs and a runner on, LMU's Khadim Diaw hit a flyball to center that seemed routine off the bat until the wind picked it up and carried it out for a walkoff home run.

Nick Marinconz notched his third straight two-hit game going 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Jonathon Long had the big swing and turned in a two-hit night of his own with two RBI.

The Dirtbags will be back at it on Sunday to kickoff the modified weekend series with Seattle. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.