Dirtbags In Command Throughout In Special Night At Angel Stadium

Dirtbags In Command Throughout In Special Night At Angel Stadium

5/2/2023 10:07:00 PM | Baseball

A grand slam from Morrisey-Jakel and a gem from Rons guided the Dirtbags at the Big A.

By: Roger Kirk, Associate Athletics Director, Communications & Broadcast

ANAHEIM, Calif. – With the opportunity to play in a Major League stadium, Jake Rons and Jashia Morrisey-Jakel seized their moments to have career nights, carrying Long Beach State to an 8-4 win over USC in a special contest played at Angel Stadium in Anaheim in front of 3,488.

After a quick first, Long Beach State (25-17) went to work in the second. Eddie Saldivar was plunked and Jack Hammond walked to set the stage for a big inning. Kyle Ashworth then looped in a single to load the bases. USC (25-18-1) looked to maybe wiggle out of trouble with a pair of outs, but Jashia Morrisey-Jakel ended those hopes with one swing.

Curling inside the foul pole, the third home run of the season for the junior quickly gave the Dirtbags a 4-0 lead in the second inning. Long Beach State pushed two more runs in the third. Loading the bases again, Nick Marinconz this time had the big hit, a two-run single that made the score 6-0.

T2 | GAME CHANGER!! Grand Slam for Jashia Morrisey-Jakel!! #skoBags

Dirtbags 4, USC 0 pic.twitter.com/dThDo8wRFG
— LBSU Dirtbags (@LBDirtbags) May 3, 2023

                Connor Burns then picked up an RBI single, driving in Rocco Peppi to make it seven unanswered runs for Long Beach State.

                Meanwhile, Jake Rons had the best start of his career under the bright lights. Pitching a career-high 6.0 innings, Rons also had a career-high nine strikeouts while giving up just five hits, one walk and one run at Angel Stadium.

                With Rons exiting with an 8-1 lead, USC was able to chip away against the Long Beach State bullpen. Three singles and balk brought home a pair, but Jonathan Carlos was able to strike out two to end the seventh with the score 8-3. Then, in the eighth, a couple of close call hits with two outs plated one more for the Trojans.

                Ethan Clough took over for the ninth, and finished off the contest for Long Beach State who held on for an 8-4 win Tuesday night.

                Tuesday's game was Long Beach State's 10th game at a Major League stadium, and fourth different stadium after Seattle (Kingdome), San Diego (Petco Park) and San Francisco (AT&T Park).

                Long Beach State returns home for a three-game Big West series at Bohl Diamond at Blair Field, hosting CSU Bakersfield. Normal times over the weekend, with night games Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m. followed by the finale Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. All three games will be broadcast live on ESPN+.