Long Beach State University Athletics
Monday, March 3
Long Beach, Calif.
6:00 p.m.
Long Beach State University
5-7
2
vs
3
Tulane
9-3
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
6th innning6
7th innning7
8th innning8
9th innning9
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
Tulane
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
3
9
1
Long Beach State
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
6
0
Photo by: Devin Malast, @Devin.raquel_photo
Tulane Edges The Dirtbags 3-2
3/3/2025 9:40:00 PM | Baseball
For the second day in a row, a ninth-inning rally fell short for LBSU
LONG BEACH, Calif.-- For the second day in a row, a Long Beach State ninth-inning rally fell short as Tulane defeated the Dirtbags 3-2 Monday night at Bohl Diamond at Blair Field.
The Green Wave put the first two batters on base. Dirtbags' starter Ka'imi Kahalekai got the next two outs before Kaikea Harrison doubled to right. Tanner Chun scored on the play. Michael Lombardi tried to score on the play, but shortstop Trotter Enright threw him out at the plate, who took the relay from Kyle Ashworth.
Tulane starter J.D. Rodriguez retired the first eight batters he faced before hitter Conner Stewart. He struck out Ashworth to keep the Dirtbags at bay.
Nate Johnson's two-out RBI single in the top of the fourth increased the Tulane advantage. Rodriguez hit Nathan Cadena to begin the bottom of the fourth. Alex Champagne reached on a Rodriguez fielding error as Cadena took second. Dylan Lina grounded into a 4-6-3 double play as Cadena moved to third. Luke Taylor grounded out to second for the final out.
Rodriguez carried the no-hitter into the fifth before it was broken up by Enright's two-out opposite-field single to left. Blaise Wilcenski relieved Rodriguez to begin the sixth. Cadena reached on a one-out single. The Green Wave got out of the inning as Champagne grounded into a 3-6-3 double play. Â
Tulane threatened in the top of the seventh, placing runners on first and second with two outs. Dirtbags' reliever Alex Ramos struck out Connor Rasmussen for the final out. Green Wave pinch-hitter James Agabedis singled through the left side to drive in Kaikea Harrison.
Cadena led off the night with a shot through the Tulane shift on the left side of the infield for a single. Champagne beat out a ball in the infield for a single. With the count 2-2, Tulane pitcher Carter Benrook hit pinch-hitter Zech Samayoa to load the bases. Taylor singled through the middle to drive in Cadena and Champagne. Samayoa advanced to third on the play. The Green Wave called in lefty Taylor Montiel as the right-handed hitting Connor Charpiot pinch-hit for Matt Toomey.
Montiel struck out Charpiot. Lombardi, the Tulane closer who started the game in centerfield, moved to the mound. With the count 0-1 to Jake Evans, a Lombardi wild pitch allowed pinch-runner Justin Roulston to move to second. A Lombardi change-up froze Evans, resulting in a strikeout. Lombardi struck out Enright to end the game and pick up his third save of the season.
On Sunday, Long Beach State was in the same position, rallying from 7-2 down to get to 7-6 against Michigan in the bottom of the ninth before the Wolverines edged the Dirtbags.
Gavin Schulz went 2-for-3 with a run scored to lead the nine-hit Tulane (9-3) attack. Cadena and Enright combined for four of the six LBSU hits (two each).
UP NEXT
Long Beach State (5-7) opens Big West play Friday night at No. 18/25 UC Irvine (8-3). The three-game set gets underway at 6 p.m. on ESPN+.
~#LongBeachBuilt~
The Green Wave put the first two batters on base. Dirtbags' starter Ka'imi Kahalekai got the next two outs before Kaikea Harrison doubled to right. Tanner Chun scored on the play. Michael Lombardi tried to score on the play, but shortstop Trotter Enright threw him out at the plate, who took the relay from Kyle Ashworth.
Tulane starter J.D. Rodriguez retired the first eight batters he faced before hitter Conner Stewart. He struck out Ashworth to keep the Dirtbags at bay.
Nate Johnson's two-out RBI single in the top of the fourth increased the Tulane advantage. Rodriguez hit Nathan Cadena to begin the bottom of the fourth. Alex Champagne reached on a Rodriguez fielding error as Cadena took second. Dylan Lina grounded into a 4-6-3 double play as Cadena moved to third. Luke Taylor grounded out to second for the final out.
Rodriguez carried the no-hitter into the fifth before it was broken up by Enright's two-out opposite-field single to left. Blaise Wilcenski relieved Rodriguez to begin the sixth. Cadena reached on a one-out single. The Green Wave got out of the inning as Champagne grounded into a 3-6-3 double play. Â
Tulane threatened in the top of the seventh, placing runners on first and second with two outs. Dirtbags' reliever Alex Ramos struck out Connor Rasmussen for the final out. Green Wave pinch-hitter James Agabedis singled through the left side to drive in Kaikea Harrison.
Cadena led off the night with a shot through the Tulane shift on the left side of the infield for a single. Champagne beat out a ball in the infield for a single. With the count 2-2, Tulane pitcher Carter Benrook hit pinch-hitter Zech Samayoa to load the bases. Taylor singled through the middle to drive in Cadena and Champagne. Samayoa advanced to third on the play. The Green Wave called in lefty Taylor Montiel as the right-handed hitting Connor Charpiot pinch-hit for Matt Toomey.
Montiel struck out Charpiot. Lombardi, the Tulane closer who started the game in centerfield, moved to the mound. With the count 0-1 to Jake Evans, a Lombardi wild pitch allowed pinch-runner Justin Roulston to move to second. A Lombardi change-up froze Evans, resulting in a strikeout. Lombardi struck out Enright to end the game and pick up his third save of the season.
On Sunday, Long Beach State was in the same position, rallying from 7-2 down to get to 7-6 against Michigan in the bottom of the ninth before the Wolverines edged the Dirtbags.
Gavin Schulz went 2-for-3 with a run scored to lead the nine-hit Tulane (9-3) attack. Cadena and Enright combined for four of the six LBSU hits (two each).
UP NEXT
Long Beach State (5-7) opens Big West play Friday night at No. 18/25 UC Irvine (8-3). The three-game set gets underway at 6 p.m. on ESPN+.
~#LongBeachBuilt~
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: J.D. Rodriguez (1-0)
L: Kahalekai, Ka’imi (0-1)
S: Michael Lombardi (3)
Batting:
2B: Tanner Chun 1 ; Connor Rasmussen 1 ; Kaikea Harrison 1 ; Gavin Schulz 1
RBI: Kaikea Harrison 1 ; James Agabedis III 1 ; Nate Johnson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tanner Chun 1 ; Kaikea Harrison 1 ; Gavin Schulz 1
SB: Gavin Schulz 1
HBP: Tanner Chun 1 ; Hugh Pinkney 1
Batting:
RBI: Taylor, Luke 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Cadena, Nathan 1 ; Champagne, Alex 1
HBP: Cadena, Nathan 1 ; Samayoa, Zech 1 ; Stewart, Conner 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
OF
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OF/1B
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INF
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P
/ Baseball
INF
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/ Baseball
OF
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OF
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C
/ BaseballC/1B
/ Baseball
INF/OF
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