Thursday, April 17
Fullerton, Calif.
6:00 p.m.
Long Beach State University
14-20, 0
4
at
5
Cal State Fullerton
19-18, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Long Beach State
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
2
0
4
9
3
Cal State Fullerton
0
0
0
2
1
0
1
1
X
5
9
0
Photo by: Photos by Izzy J
Dirtbags Fall Late To Cal State Fullerton 5-4
4/17/2025 9:41:00 PM | Baseball
Cadena drives in three runs for Long Beach State
FULLERTON, Calif.—A Long Beach State error with two outs in the bottom of the eighth resulted in the go-ahead run scoring as Cal State Fullerton defeated the Dirtbags 5-4 Thursday night to begin a Big West baseball series at Goodwin Field.
Carter Johnstone led off the bottom of the first with a double for the Titans. Maddox Latta flew out deep enough to right to allow Johnstone to advance to third. Jake Fields, the LBSU starter, struck out Andrew Kirchner, the Big West's leader in RBI (50), for the second out. Fields struck out Matthew Bardowell, stranding the runner at third.
Max Ortega doubled to the right-centerfield gap to begin the bottom of the second. Eli Lopez lined out to right field, sending Ortega to third. Fields struck out Paul Contreras looking. Marcos Rosales fouled out to first to end the inning.
Conner Stewart doubled to the left center gap to lead off the top of the third. Matt Toomey successfully sacrificed Stewart to third with a bunt. Kyle Ashworth popped out to third before Mikiah Negrete struck out Alex Champagne for the final out.
Johnstone singled to get the bottom of the third underway. He went to second via a LBSU error on the play. With one out and Kirchner at bat, Johnstone advanced to third on a Fields' wild pitch. Kirchner flew out to center to end the frame.
Bardowell battled back from down 0-2 to work out a leadoff walk in the fourth. At 1-0 to Ortega, a Fields' wild pitch sent Bardowell to second. Ortega walked to bring up Lopez. The Dirtbags went to the bullpen, calling in Alex Ramos. Ortega attempted to bunt, but he popped up to Nathan Cardena, the Long Beach State first baseman, charging in on the play.
Contreras flew out to right, sending Bardowell to third. Rosales walked to load the bases. Cam Burdick singled to left to drive in Bardowell. The bases remained loaded for Johnstone, who walked to score on the second run. Latta flew out to center for the final out.
Kirchner singled off Ka'imi Kahalekai, the third pitcher of the game for Long Beach State, to start the fifth. Bardowell walked. Ortega reached on an error to load the bases. Lopez singled through the left side to plate Kirchner. Contreras's infield fly to first resulted in the first out. Kahalekai got a 4-6-3 double play to keep the score 3-0.
Ashworth singled up the middle with one out in the top of the sixth. Champagne doubled to the right field fence as Ashworth made it to third. Cadena singled through the left side to break the seal for the Dirtbags. Connor Charpiot's sac fly to center drove in Champagne. Jason Blood relieved Negrete. Cadena stole second. Trotter Enright worked out a walk. Jake Evans hit a grounder to Latta short. He threw to second, where the throw briefly pulled Lopez off the bag. He recovered, tagged second, and ended the frame.
Tyler Gebb, the fourth LBSU pitcher, hit Bardowell to start the seventh. An Ortega sac bunt moved Bardowell up a base. Lopez singled to center to drive in Bardowell for a 4-2 score.
Ashworth's opposite-field single to left began the Long Beach State eighth. Champagne doubled to right center to give the Dirtbags two runners in scoring position. Andrew Wright, the Titans' closer, came on in relief. His first batter was Cardena, who doubled to the warning track in center to drive in both runners and tie the game.
Charpiot lined out to right, allowing Cadena to advance to third. The Titans brought the infield in to face Enright. Enright attempted a suicide squeeze; he bunted through the ball, catching Cadena attempting to come home for the second out. Enright singled through the right side to keep the inning alive, only for Evans to ground into a 4-6 fielder's choice for the final out.
Albert Roblez began the bottom of the eighth on the mound for Long Beach State. He struck out Burdick before Johnstone doubled to right field. Latta ran the count to 3-2 before grounding out to third. With the count 1-1 to Kirchner, a Roblez breaking pitch went to the backstop, allowing Johnstone to go to third. LBSU intentionally walked Kirchner to face Bardowell.
Enright misplayed a Bardowell grounder at short, allowing the winning run to score and both runners to reach base. Roblez's second wild pitch again moved the runners up a base. Ortega walked to load the bases. Lopez struck out to leave the 11th, 12th, and 13th Cal State Fullerton runners on base.
Wright walked Easton Elliot on four pitches to begin the top of the ninth. Stewart's sac bunt attempt was popped up and caught by Wright. Pinch-hitter Luke Taylor struck out looking. Ashworth singled up the middle. Champagne worked the count to 3-2 before struck out to end the game.
Ashworth went 3-for-5 with two runs scored for the Dirtbags. Cadena was 2-for-4 with three RBI. Champagne went 2-for5 with two runs scored. Johnstone led the Titans as he was 3-for-3.
Long Beach State (14-20, 8-11 Big West) and Cal State Fullerton (19-18, 10-6 Big West) continue the series Friday. ESPN+ coverage begins at 6 p.m.
Carter Johnstone led off the bottom of the first with a double for the Titans. Maddox Latta flew out deep enough to right to allow Johnstone to advance to third. Jake Fields, the LBSU starter, struck out Andrew Kirchner, the Big West's leader in RBI (50), for the second out. Fields struck out Matthew Bardowell, stranding the runner at third.
Max Ortega doubled to the right-centerfield gap to begin the bottom of the second. Eli Lopez lined out to right field, sending Ortega to third. Fields struck out Paul Contreras looking. Marcos Rosales fouled out to first to end the inning.
Conner Stewart doubled to the left center gap to lead off the top of the third. Matt Toomey successfully sacrificed Stewart to third with a bunt. Kyle Ashworth popped out to third before Mikiah Negrete struck out Alex Champagne for the final out.
Johnstone singled to get the bottom of the third underway. He went to second via a LBSU error on the play. With one out and Kirchner at bat, Johnstone advanced to third on a Fields' wild pitch. Kirchner flew out to center to end the frame.
Bardowell battled back from down 0-2 to work out a leadoff walk in the fourth. At 1-0 to Ortega, a Fields' wild pitch sent Bardowell to second. Ortega walked to bring up Lopez. The Dirtbags went to the bullpen, calling in Alex Ramos. Ortega attempted to bunt, but he popped up to Nathan Cardena, the Long Beach State first baseman, charging in on the play.
Contreras flew out to right, sending Bardowell to third. Rosales walked to load the bases. Cam Burdick singled to left to drive in Bardowell. The bases remained loaded for Johnstone, who walked to score on the second run. Latta flew out to center for the final out.
Kirchner singled off Ka'imi Kahalekai, the third pitcher of the game for Long Beach State, to start the fifth. Bardowell walked. Ortega reached on an error to load the bases. Lopez singled through the left side to plate Kirchner. Contreras's infield fly to first resulted in the first out. Kahalekai got a 4-6-3 double play to keep the score 3-0.
Ashworth singled up the middle with one out in the top of the sixth. Champagne doubled to the right field fence as Ashworth made it to third. Cadena singled through the left side to break the seal for the Dirtbags. Connor Charpiot's sac fly to center drove in Champagne. Jason Blood relieved Negrete. Cadena stole second. Trotter Enright worked out a walk. Jake Evans hit a grounder to Latta short. He threw to second, where the throw briefly pulled Lopez off the bag. He recovered, tagged second, and ended the frame.
Tyler Gebb, the fourth LBSU pitcher, hit Bardowell to start the seventh. An Ortega sac bunt moved Bardowell up a base. Lopez singled to center to drive in Bardowell for a 4-2 score.
Ashworth's opposite-field single to left began the Long Beach State eighth. Champagne doubled to right center to give the Dirtbags two runners in scoring position. Andrew Wright, the Titans' closer, came on in relief. His first batter was Cardena, who doubled to the warning track in center to drive in both runners and tie the game.
Charpiot lined out to right, allowing Cadena to advance to third. The Titans brought the infield in to face Enright. Enright attempted a suicide squeeze; he bunted through the ball, catching Cadena attempting to come home for the second out. Enright singled through the right side to keep the inning alive, only for Evans to ground into a 4-6 fielder's choice for the final out.
Albert Roblez began the bottom of the eighth on the mound for Long Beach State. He struck out Burdick before Johnstone doubled to right field. Latta ran the count to 3-2 before grounding out to third. With the count 1-1 to Kirchner, a Roblez breaking pitch went to the backstop, allowing Johnstone to go to third. LBSU intentionally walked Kirchner to face Bardowell.
Enright misplayed a Bardowell grounder at short, allowing the winning run to score and both runners to reach base. Roblez's second wild pitch again moved the runners up a base. Ortega walked to load the bases. Lopez struck out to leave the 11th, 12th, and 13th Cal State Fullerton runners on base.
Wright walked Easton Elliot on four pitches to begin the top of the ninth. Stewart's sac bunt attempt was popped up and caught by Wright. Pinch-hitter Luke Taylor struck out looking. Ashworth singled up the middle. Champagne worked the count to 3-2 before struck out to end the game.
Ashworth went 3-for-5 with two runs scored for the Dirtbags. Cadena was 2-for-4 with three RBI. Champagne went 2-for5 with two runs scored. Johnstone led the Titans as he was 3-for-3.
Long Beach State (14-20, 8-11 Big West) and Cal State Fullerton (19-18, 10-6 Big West) continue the series Friday. ESPN+ coverage begins at 6 p.m.
~#LongBeachBuilt~
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wright, Andrew (1-2)
L: Roblez, Albert (3-1)
Batting:
2B: Champagne, Alex 2 ; Cadena, Nathan 1 ; Stewart, Conner 1
RBI: Cadena, Nathan 3 ; Charpiot, Connor 1
SH: Toomey, Matt 1
SF: Charpiot, Connor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ashworth, Kyle 2 ; Champagne, Alex 2
SB: Cadena, Nathan 1
CS: Cadena, Nathan 1
Batting:
2B: Johnstone, Carter 2 ; Ortega, Max 1
RBI: Johnstone, Carter 1 ; Lopez, Eli 2 ; Burdick, Cam 1
SH: Ortega, Max 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Johnstone, Carter 1 ; Kirchner, Andrew 1 ; Bardowell, Matthew 2 ; Ortega, Max 1
HBP: Bardowell, Matthew 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
2
H
3
RBI
0
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
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OF/1B
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INF
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INF
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P
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P
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P
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P
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P
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C
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C/1B
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INF/OF
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