Briseno's 12th Inning Single Gives The Dirtbags A 7-6 Victory Over USC

Tuesday, May 7

Long Beach, Calif.

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

22-22-1

USC

22-26

USC

Long Beach State

Photo by: Iori Miyakodani

Briseno's 12th Inning Single Gives The Dirtbags A 7-6 Victory Over USC

5/7/2024 10:44:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Briseno goes 3-for-6 to lead Long Beach State

By: Matt Turk, Associate Athletic Communications Director

LONG BEACH, Calif.— Armando Briseno's two-out single in the bottom of the 12th scored Kyle Ashworth for the game-winning run as Long Beach State defeated USC Tuesday night at Bohl Diamond at Blair Field.

The Trojans took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an unearned run that scored on a Ryan Jackson ground out to third.

Following an Ashworth leadoff walk to lead off the bottom of the first, Adrian Lopez put the Dirtbags into the lead with a two-run home run. Mason Edwards walked Connor Charpiot. Edwards hit John Newman Jr., bringing Briseno to the plate. Briseno attempted to sacrifice the runners over, but his bunt attempt was fielded by Edwards, who threw to third to get the leadoff runner. Alex Champagne flew out to left. Jack Collins struck out to end the inning.

The second Dirtbags pitcher of the game, Collin Miskelly, pitched a 1-2-3 second in relief of starter Grant Cherry. Miskelly hit Chris Brown to begin the third. With one out, Miskelly struck out Jacob Galloway as Brown stole second. Ryan Jackson struck out for the final out of the frame.

Miskelly walked Ethan Hedges with one out in the top of the fourth. Bryce Gruzielanek's two-out double down the left field line scored Hedges to tie the game. Carson Wells singled through the right side to plate Gruzielanek. David Ladjevic relieved Miskelly. Back-to-back Ladjevic wild pitches sent Wells to third. Brown walked to give the Trojans runners on the corners. Ladjevic struck out Austin Overn to keep the score 3-2.

Briseno doubled down the left field line to begin the Dirtbags' fourth. Champagne tied the game with a double to the right field wall. Eric Hammond relieved Edwards. Collins singled to center to once again give the Dirtbags the lead. Jonny Rodriguez singled to right field to advance Collins to second. Ty Borgogno walked to load the bases. Ashworth struck out, looking for the first out. Lopez's sac fly to the left field warning track scored Collins. Hammond hit Charpiot to load the bases. USC called upon Andrew Harbour to pitch against Newman Jr. Harbour struck out Newman Jr. for the final out.

Briseno singled to lead off the bottom of the fifth. Champagne sacrificed Briseno to second with a bunt. Collins' bunt attempt was fielded by Harbour, who threw to first as Briseno took third. Rodriguez grounded out to first to end the frame.

Nathen Morris entered to begin the sixth for the Dirtbags. Hedges reached on a bloop single to center. Morris struck out Brayden Dowd and Grudzielanek before Wells flew out to Champagne in left center.

Nick Williams took over on the hill to begin the USC seventh. He hit Brown. A wild pitch advanced Brown to second before he went to third on an Overn ground out to first. Galloway walked. Jackson grounded into a 5-4 fielder's choice as Brown scored. Kevin Takeuchi grounded out to third to conclude matters.

Newman Jr. hit his 10th home run of the season, a blast that left the park at 105 miles per hour over the left field fence, with one out in the bottom of the seventh.

Williams walked Hedges on four pitches to lead off the top of the eighth. Wiliams hit pinch hitter Dean Carpentier on a 1-2 count to bring up Grudzielanek, who walked to load the bases. Jonathan Largaespada relieved Williams. His first batter was Wells. The Trojans' left fielder hit a ground-rule double that drove in two runs to tie the game. The Dirtbags brought the infield in against pinch hitter KaiKea Harrison, who hit a shot off Largaespada's leg. The LBSU pitcher fielded the ball and threw on to first to get the out. The infield remained in against Overn. Overn popped out to Lopez at second for the second out. Galloway flew out to the warning track in left to Charpiot for the final out.

Largaespada hit Jackson to begin the top of the ninth. Takeuchi, the USC cleanup hitter, attempted to bunt Jackson over. He struck out, but Jackson stole second on the swinging strike three. Hedges flew out to right. Pinch hitter Andrew Lamb saw a 2-1 fastball go to the backstop, allowing Jackson to reach third. Lamb was up 3-1 in the count before Largaespada rallied, striking out Lamb swinging on a fastball up in the zone.

Harrison worked out a two-out walk against Long Beach State reliever Mason Dillow in the top of the 10th. Overn popped out to short for the third out. Xavier Martinez started the bottom of the 11th for the Trojans on the mound. He walked Collins on four pitches. Martinez struck out Rodriguez before getting a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

Dylan Tostrup became the eighth Trojans' hurler in the bottom of the 12th. He walked Ashworth on five pitches. Lopez popped out to center. On a 2-1 pitch to Charpiot, Ashworth stole second. Charpiot walked. Newman Jr. struck out. Tostrup went ahead in the count 1-2 on Briseno before Briseno drove a breaking ball into left field for the game-winner.

In his third appearance of the season, Dillow retired the final nine USC batters he faced to earn his first victory. Briseno was 3-for-6 to lead the Dirtbags. Wells paced USC (22-26) as he went 2-for-5 with three RBI.

On Friday night, Long Beach State (22-22-1, 7-11 Big West) opens a three-game series against No. 16 UC Irvine (35-10, 15-6 Big West). Coverage is scheduled for ESPN+ beginning at 6 p.m. Jered Weaver's No. 36 will be retired in a ceremony before the game at 5:40 p.m.

~#skoBags~