Thursday, March 28
Bakersfield, Calif.
6:00 p.m.
Long Beach State University
4
at
1
Cal State Bakersfield
Photo by: Hannah Banks
The Dirtbags Halt The 'Runners 4-1
3/28/2024 9:31:00 PM | Baseball
Long Beach State Ties Season High With 12 Hits
BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—Long Beach State defeated Cal State Bakersfield 4-1 to open Big West baseball action Thursday night at Hardt Field.
Kyle Ashworth walked to lead off the game. Adrian Lopez followed with a double down the left field line. As Ashworth advanced to third, Roadrunner right fielder Michael Pollard bobbled the ball, allowing Ashworth to score the first Long Beach State run.
Jonah Shields bunted for a base hit to begin the CSUB first. He went to second on a Pollard sac bunt before making it to third on a Myles Patton wild pitch. Patton struck out Matt Kurata for the second out. Patton got out of the inning when Jacob Gutierrez popped out to first.
Ashworth walked again to begin the third inning. Lopez successfully sacrificed Ashworth to second. Connor Charpiot singled through the left side to give the Dirtbags runners on the corners. John Newman Jr.'s infield single scored Ashworth to increase the advantage to 2-0.
Armando Briseno doubled with two outs in the top of the fourth. Briseno took third on the play as Pollard again committed an error. Ashworth's infield single scored Briseno before Lopez singled to center. Charpiot walked to load the bases before Ryan Verdugo struck out Newman Jr. to end the inning.
The Roadrunners stranded runners in scoring positions in the fourth and the fifth. Gutierrez walked with two outs in the sixth. Zavien Watson doubled to left to bring up the potential tying run in Cody Hendriks. Hendricks grounded out to third to conclude the frame.
Verdugo retired the final 10 batters he faced before being relieved by Ryan Figueroa to start the eighth. Verdugo struck out 10, walked three, and gave up eight hits. The duo set down 12 in a row overall before Alex Champagne singled with two outs in the eighth.
Patton pitched the first seven innings, throwing 90 pitches, 64 for strikes. Grant Cherry entered in the eighth for the Dirtbags. With one out, Kurata singled to right center. Gutierrez singled to left center to advance Kurata to third. Watson's sacrifice fly to left plated Kurata. Hendriks flew out to center.
Long Beach State added an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Charpiot doubled with two outs. Landon Greenhouse ran for Charpiot and came around to score on a Newman Jr. double.
Dirtbags closer Mike Villani entered to begin the bottom of the ninth. With one out, Nick Salas doubled down the left field line. Villani bounced back to get the final two outs and his sixth save.
Charpiot recorded his first three-hit game of the season as he went 3-for-4. Nick Marinconz and Newman Jr. both posted two hits. Patton has not given up a run in his last two starts, pitching 14 scoreless innings.
Long Beach State (14-8-1, 4-3 Big West) and Cal State Bakersfield (5-20, 1-6 Big West) continue the series Friday. Coverage on ESPN+ begins at 6 p.m.
Kyle Ashworth walked to lead off the game. Adrian Lopez followed with a double down the left field line. As Ashworth advanced to third, Roadrunner right fielder Michael Pollard bobbled the ball, allowing Ashworth to score the first Long Beach State run.
Jonah Shields bunted for a base hit to begin the CSUB first. He went to second on a Pollard sac bunt before making it to third on a Myles Patton wild pitch. Patton struck out Matt Kurata for the second out. Patton got out of the inning when Jacob Gutierrez popped out to first.
Ashworth walked again to begin the third inning. Lopez successfully sacrificed Ashworth to second. Connor Charpiot singled through the left side to give the Dirtbags runners on the corners. John Newman Jr.'s infield single scored Ashworth to increase the advantage to 2-0.
Armando Briseno doubled with two outs in the top of the fourth. Briseno took third on the play as Pollard again committed an error. Ashworth's infield single scored Briseno before Lopez singled to center. Charpiot walked to load the bases before Ryan Verdugo struck out Newman Jr. to end the inning.
The Roadrunners stranded runners in scoring positions in the fourth and the fifth. Gutierrez walked with two outs in the sixth. Zavien Watson doubled to left to bring up the potential tying run in Cody Hendriks. Hendricks grounded out to third to conclude the frame.
Verdugo retired the final 10 batters he faced before being relieved by Ryan Figueroa to start the eighth. Verdugo struck out 10, walked three, and gave up eight hits. The duo set down 12 in a row overall before Alex Champagne singled with two outs in the eighth.
Patton pitched the first seven innings, throwing 90 pitches, 64 for strikes. Grant Cherry entered in the eighth for the Dirtbags. With one out, Kurata singled to right center. Gutierrez singled to left center to advance Kurata to third. Watson's sacrifice fly to left plated Kurata. Hendriks flew out to center.
Long Beach State added an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Charpiot doubled with two outs. Landon Greenhouse ran for Charpiot and came around to score on a Newman Jr. double.
Dirtbags closer Mike Villani entered to begin the bottom of the ninth. With one out, Nick Salas doubled down the left field line. Villani bounced back to get the final two outs and his sixth save.
Charpiot recorded his first three-hit game of the season as he went 3-for-4. Nick Marinconz and Newman Jr. both posted two hits. Patton has not given up a run in his last two starts, pitching 14 scoreless innings.
Long Beach State (14-8-1, 4-3 Big West) and Cal State Bakersfield (5-20, 1-6 Big West) continue the series Friday. Coverage on ESPN+ begins at 6 p.m.
~#skoBags~
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