Hammond’s Tenth Inning Blast Gives Dirtbags Midweek Win at CBU

Wednesday, March 15

Riverside, Calif.

6:30 p.m.

Long Beach State University

10-5

California Baptist

8-8

Long Beach State

California Baptist

Photo by: John Fajardo

Hammond’s Tenth Inning Blast Gives Dirtbags Midweek Win at CBU

3/15/2023 11:36:00 PM | Baseball

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Sophomore transfer Jack Hammond’s second homer of the season gave LBSU an extra-inning victory.

By: Collin Robinson, Associate Director of Athletic Communications

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Jack Hammond launched a ball deep into the night sky propelling Long Beach State (10-5) to a midweek victory at California Baptist (8-8) on Wednesday night. The two-run home run was the Dirtbags' fourth of the ballgame.

Through the first half of the game, LBSU and CBU essentially traded home runs. The Lancers hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the first followed by Connor Burns' first of the season, a two-run HR in the top of the second. CBU got another two-run shot in the third along with a manufactured run before Rocco Peppi hit a solo shot in the fifth.

After another Lancer run came across in the sixth, the Long Beach State offense rallied for two in the seventh on a Jack Hammond RBI single and Eddie Saldivar double to make it a one-run ballgame.

Josh Haley retired the side in order in the bottom of the seventh to polish off a perfect 1.1 innings of work out of the bullpen. He handed the ball off to fellow veteran, Ethan Clough, who tossed a perfect eighth inning to send the game into the ninth.

Splitting the Haley and Clough frames was a massive swing from Cole Santander in the top of the eighth. With one out and a 2-2 count, the sophomore went down to get an off-speed pitch at the bottom of the zone and sent it off the scoreboard in left field. His first Division I home run tied the game at six runs apiece heading into the ninth.

Cole off the scoreboard! ?? WE'RE TIED!@ColeSantander
| #skoBags

?? https://t.co/yX7CuwSizo pic.twitter.com/kQqU919OCY
— LBSU Dirtbags (@LBDirtbags) March 16, 2023

Neither side could do anything in the ninth, which meant is was time for free baseball at James Totman Stadium. Joey Walls Jr. started the inning with a walk and moved up to second on a wild pitch. After a pair of strikeouts, the night's hero Jack Hammond stepped to the dish and launched a moonshot to left field putting the Dirtbags in front, 8-6.

Back out for his second inning of work, Kellan Montgomery secured the victory with his second perfect inning of work on the bump. The freshman totaled four strikeouts on the way to his first collegiate victory.

The Dirtbags have now won seven of their last nine games as they head into conference play this weekend at UC San Diego.