Five Homers Propel Dirtbags to Series Opening Victory

Thursday, May 25

Long Beach, Calif.

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

31-22, 15-13

UC Davis

17-35, 7-21

UC Davis

Long Beach State

Photo by: Mikaella Salazar

5/25/2023 9:10:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

The offense backed a dominant outing from starting pitcher, Nico Zeglin.

By: Collin Robinson, Associate Director of Athletic Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Long Beach State's bats powered their way to an 8-1 series opening victory over UC Davis on Thursday night. The Dirtbags (31-22, 15-13 Big West) have now won five of their last seven games as the season comes to an end.

While the offense may have stolen the headline, Nico Zeglin was as nasty as ever in his final collegiate start. The right-hander tossed seven scoreless innings, scattering four hits and two walks while striking out 10. It marks his fifth double-digit strikeout performance of the season and gives him 117 total for the season, one shy of number 10 on the single-season list.

Double-digits for the fifth time this season for Zeglin ??

?? https://t.co/3D6QzuHrCD pic.twitter.com/heGLOboy0x
— LBSU Dirtbags (@LBDirtbags) May 26, 2023

Jonathon Long got the scoring started with the first of his two home runs coming in the bottom of the first inning. The homer marked his 14tha of the season and 25tha of the season, putting him at number two on the program's all-time career home run leaderboards.

All by himself for second-most home runs in a Dirtbag career ?? pic.twitter.com/P99OGpS8Ab
— LBSU Dirtbags (@LBDirtbags) May 26, 2023

The next half inning saw home run number two of the Dirtbags evening as Rocco Peppi launched a moonshot down the left field line for a two-run home run. It gives him six home runs on the season.

After both sides exchanged zeroes for the next three innings, the 'Bags bats picked back up in the sixth. Leading off the frame, Connor Burns connected for a solo shot to left center for his 13th of the season. Three batters later, with a runner on second, Cole Santander hit an absolute missile down the left field line for his fourth homer of the year. It was clocked at 106mph off the bat.

The Dirtbags added another run in the bottom of the eighth on a pinch hit RBI single from Tyler White to make it an 8-1 lead.

Kellan Montgomery allowed the only run of the evening, surrendering a solo home run to the first batter he faced. Other than that, the freshman cruised through the Aggie lineup with four strikeouts in two innings to secure the series opening victory for the Dirtbags.

Long Beach State and UC Davis will matchup for game number two tomorrow evening. First pitch from Bohl Diamond at Blair Field is scheduled for 6 p.m.