Saturday, March 25
Riverside, Calif.
6:30 p.m.
Long Beach State University
13-8, 2-3
4
at
3
UC Riverside
5-13, 0-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
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H
E
Long Beach State
0
0
0
0
4
0
0
0
0
4
5
0
UC Riverside
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
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8
3
Photo by: Mikaella Salazar
Saldivar Powers Dirtbags to Series Win Over UC Riverside
3/25/2023 9:49:00 PM | Baseball
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Long Beach State survived a ninth inning UC Riverside rally to hang on for a 4-3 victory on Saturday night. With the win, the Dirtbags (13-8, 2-3 Big West) secure their first conference series of the season.
The big swing of the night came from Eddie Saldivar in the fifth inning. After a pair of singles, the sophomore sent the first pitch he saw deep to left-center and over the wall for his first career grand slam. It is his second home run of the young season.
Offensively, Kyle Ashworth had a solid night going 2-for-4 with a pair of singles and a run scored. In total, Long Beach State only had four hits off the Highlander pitching.
Nico Zeglin (3-2) got the start on the mound and delivered another quality start, throwing six innings of one-run ball. He scattered six hits and two walks while striking out eight Highlanders on the night.
After Nathen Morris threw a perfect seventh, Kellan Montgomery followed with a perfect eighth. However, the freshman could not get the final three outs as UC Riverside started to rally in the ninth.
The Highlanders got a leadoff single before a flyout for the first out of the frame. Montgomery would start to lose his command though, walking the next two to load the bases. A single into left would plate two UCR runs and spell the end of the night for Montgomery.
Coach Valenzuela would go to the bullpen as Sky Wells took over on the mound with runners on first and second, one out, with the Dirtbags clinging to a one-run lead.
The southpaw stayed composed and struck out both Highlanders he faced to get out of the jam and lock up the 4-3 victory for Long Beach State. It is the first collegiate save of Wells' career.
With the win, the Dirtbags secure the first conference series victory. They will look to complete the sweep tomorrow afternoon. First pitch at the Riverside Sports Complex will be at 1 p.m.
The big swing of the night came from Eddie Saldivar in the fifth inning. After a pair of singles, the sophomore sent the first pitch he saw deep to left-center and over the wall for his first career grand slam. It is his second home run of the young season.
Eddie's having a GRAND 'ole time ??@EddieSaldivar3 | #skoBags pic.twitter.com/gidAMHBwPd
— LBSU Dirtbags (@LBDirtbags) March 26, 2023
Offensively, Kyle Ashworth had a solid night going 2-for-4 with a pair of singles and a run scored. In total, Long Beach State only had four hits off the Highlander pitching.
Nico Zeglin (3-2) got the start on the mound and delivered another quality start, throwing six innings of one-run ball. He scattered six hits and two walks while striking out eight Highlanders on the night.
After Nathen Morris threw a perfect seventh, Kellan Montgomery followed with a perfect eighth. However, the freshman could not get the final three outs as UC Riverside started to rally in the ninth.
The Highlanders got a leadoff single before a flyout for the first out of the frame. Montgomery would start to lose his command though, walking the next two to load the bases. A single into left would plate two UCR runs and spell the end of the night for Montgomery.
Coach Valenzuela would go to the bullpen as Sky Wells took over on the mound with runners on first and second, one out, with the Dirtbags clinging to a one-run lead.
The southpaw stayed composed and struck out both Highlanders he faced to get out of the jam and lock up the 4-3 victory for Long Beach State. It is the first collegiate save of Wells' career.
With the win, the Dirtbags secure the first conference series victory. They will look to complete the sweep tomorrow afternoon. First pitch at the Riverside Sports Complex will be at 1 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Zeglin, Nico (3-2)
L: Eric Marrujo (2-2)
S: Wells, Sky (1)
Batting:
HR: Saldivar, Eddie 1
RBI: Saldivar, Eddie 4
SH: Marinconz, Nick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Saldivar, Eddie 1 ; Ashworth, Kyle 1 ; Borgogno, Ty 1 ; Walls Jr., Joey 1
SB: Ashworth, Kyle 1
HBP: Borgogno, Ty 1
Batting:
RBI: Jacob Badawi 1 ; Alfredo Capacete 2
SF: Jacob Badawi 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Andrew Gamez 1 ; Jacob Badawi 1 ; Tyler Weaver 1
SB: Andrew Gamez 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
4
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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