Dirtbags Shut Out At Bakersfield In Series Opener

Friday, March 20

Bakersfield, Calif.

6:30 p.m.

Long Beach State University

7-14, 2-5

Cal State Bakersfield

8-14, 2-5

Long Beach State

CSU Bakersfield

3/20/2026 10:58:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Long Beach State was held scoreless for the first time Friday night, falling 0-3 to Cal State Bakersfield in the opener of a Big West against the Roadrunners.

By: Cianna Smith-Andrews, Assistant Director, Athletic Communications

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Long Beach State was limited to six hits Friday night as Cal State Bakersfield claimed a 3-0 win in the series opener, snapping the Dirtbags' three-game winning streak and handing them their first shutout loss of the 2026 season.

Long Beach State threatened in the first when Jake Evans doubled to right-center with one out, but Cal State Bakersfield's starter Ryan King stranded him there with consecutive outs to end the inning. In the bottom half, the Roadrunners took advantage of a leadoff walk, and a failed pickoff attempt that moved Jacob May into scoring position. Devon Wilkes drove in the game's first run with a groundout to second before Elgin Bennett added a two-out solo home run to right field for a 2-0 lead.

The Dirtbags created one of their best scoring chances in the third when Conner Stewart singled, advanced on Ty Borgogno's sacrifice bunt and moved to third on Trevor Goldenetz's single to center. Goldenetz then stole second to put two runners in scoring position, but King escaped with back-to-back strikeouts to keep Long Beach State off the board.

Long Beach State put two aboard again in the fourth when Matt Toomey singled down the left-field line and Aaron Perez followed with a single to right field, but Bakersfield ended the inning with a pickoff at first base before the Dirtbags could capitalize.

On the mound, Caleb Anderson kept the Dirtbags within reach through 6.2 innings. The right-hander allowed three runs on seven hits while generating 10 ground-ball outs. Cal State Bakersfield added its final run in the fifth after Evan Cloyd doubled to right-center and Wilkes followed with a two-out RBI double down the left-field line to make it 3-0.

Long Beach State's final push came in the seventh when Matt Toomey was hit by a pitch to open the inning and moved to second after Conner Stewart reached on a shortstop error following Aaron Perez's flyout to center. With two aboard and one out, Cal State Bakersfield turned to Jacob Gutierrez out of the bullpen, and after Reid Montgomery lifted a sacrifice fly ball to center, Gutierrez struck out Trevor Goldenetz swinging to end the game.

Goldenetz led the Dirtbags with two hits, while Evans, Toomey, Perez, and Stewart each added one. Tyler Gebb added one scoreless inning with two strikeouts and no hits allowed in relief, while the Dirtbags also cut down a runner at home in the seventh to keep the deficit at three.

Long Beach State will continue the series Saturday against CSU Bakersfield, with first pitch set for 4 p.m. on ESPN+.