Bakersfield Rallies Past Long Beach State In Game Two

Saturday, March 21

Bakersfield, Calif.

4 p.m.

Long Beach State University

7-15, 2-6

Cal State Bakersfield

9-14, 3-5

Long Beach State

CSU Bakersfield

3/21/2026 8:40:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

The Dirtbags fell 12-6 after Cal State Bakersfield surged in middle innings.

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

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Long Beach State (7-15, 2-6 Big West) opened with a three-run third inning and matched Cal State Bakersfield (9-14, 3-5 Big West) with nine hits, but the Roadrunners capitalized on late innings and eight walks to secure a 12-6 victory Saturday afternoon.

Long Beach State struck first in the second as Dylan Lina opened the inning with a double to left center, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored when Matt Toomey lifted a sacrifice fly to right field for a 1-0 lead. Cal State Bakersfield answered in the bottom half when Elijah Pelayo brought home Kanoa Morisaki with a sacrifice fly to even the score.

The Dirtbags regained control in the third with their most productive inning of the afternoon. Trevor Goldenetz doubled to right-center, Kaiden Smaka followed with a bunt single, and Jake Evans lined a two-run double down the right-field line to score both runners for a 3-1 lead. Matt Toomey then walked, and a failed pickoff attempt moved Evans to third and Toomey to second before Reid Montgomery grounded out to shortstop, bringing home Evans to make it 4-1.

Cal State Bakersfield answered immediately in the bottom of the third when Jacob May tripled down the right-field line and scored on Evan Cloyd's groundout to trim the lead to 4-2. The Roadrunners moved in front an inning later, stringing together three runs on three hits. RBI singles from Matt Dobson and Dusty Vela, along with a run-scoring groundout from May, turned the game into a 5-4 Cal State Bakersfield advantage.

The Roadrunners added another run in the fifth after Devon Wilkes tripled and scored on Elgin Bennett's sacrifice fly, then broke the game open in the sixth. Cal State Bakersfield used an error, a sacrifice fly and a two-out RBI single to score three runs and extend the lead to 9-4 before adding three more in the seventh. A wild pitch plated one run, and Brendan Thompson followed with a two-run single down the left-field line to push the margin to 12-4.

Long Beach State continued to battle late in the eighth. Matt Toomey reached on a hit-by-pitch, Conner Stewart doubled down the left-field line to move him to third, and after Aaron Perez struck out, Trotter Enright lined a two-run single to left field to score both runners and trim the deficit to a 12-6 final score.

Kaiden Smaka led the Dirtbags offensively with three hits, while Goldenetz, Evans, Lina, Toomey, Stewart and Enright each added one hit. Evans finished with two RBI and two doubles, while Toomey reached base twice and drove in a run.

On the mound, Howe worked five innings and kept Long Beach State in front through the early innings before the bullpen covered the final 2.3 frames. Alex Ramos added a scoreless relief appearance, and Jacob Baker closed with a scoreless eighth inning and two strikeouts.

Long Beach State will look to avoid the series sweep Sunday at Cal State Bakersfield. First pitch is set for 1 p.m., with live coverage on ESPN+