Late Rally Falls Short As Dirtbags Drop Extras To Highlanders

Friday, April 17

Long Beach, Calif.

6:05 p.m.

Long Beach State University

12-25, 6-13

UC Riverside

11-24, 6-10

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
UC Riverside	0	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	5	11	1
Long Beach State	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	0	0	3	7	1

Late Rally Falls Short As Dirtbags Drop Extras To Highlanders

4/17/2026 10:47:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Dirtbags rally late, but fall in 11 innings to UC Riverside.

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

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State battled back late but dropped a 5-3 extra-inning decision to UC Riverside in the series opener Friday night at Bohl Diamond at Blair Field.

Playing in their second straight extra-inning contest, the Dirtbags showed resilience down the stretch, rallying from a three-run deficit to force extras before the Highlanders pulled away in the 11th.

UC Riverside struck first in the second inning after Miles Scott singled through the infield and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Following a walk by Tyler Gordon, David Whittle lined a single back through the infield to score Scott from second and give the Highlanders a 1-0 lead.

The Highlanders added on in the third when Isaiah Hernandez singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a balk. After a flyout and a strikeout, Scott delivered again with a single up the middle to bring Hernandez home, extending the lead to 2-0.

In the fourth, UC Riverside extended its advantage to 3-0 on a two-out solo home run to left field.

Long Beach State threatened in the fourth, putting two runners in scoring position after a leadoff single from Matt Toomey and a hit by pitch to Dylan Lina, but the Dirtbags were unable to push a run across.

The Highlanders maintained the 3-0 lead into the late innings as the Dirtbags continued to search for a breakthrough.

The momentum finally shifted in the eighth. Trotter Enright worked a leadoff walk before Toomey dropped a single into shallow right field. Lina followed with another walk to load the bases, and Smith Chandler delivered a clutch two-run single through the infield to cut the deficit to 3-2 and bring Long Beach State within striking distance.

The Dirtbags completed the comeback in the ninth. After Reid Montgomery was hit by a pitch and Enright walked, Jake Evans singled to load the bases with no outs. Toomey then grounded into a double play, but the tying run crossed the plate to even the score at 3-3 and send the game into extra innings.

Both teams were held scoreless in the 10th, highlighted by a diving defensive play in center field to keep the Highlanders off the board.

UC Riverside broke through in the 11th after two quick outs, Esteban Sepulveda was hit by a pitch. Pinch runner Hunter Backstrom entered and advanced into scoring position on a balk before Lucas Bonham worked a full-count walk to put two runners on. Jarren Sanderson then delivered the decisive swing, driving a double into the gap that brought both runners home and gave the Highlanders a 5-3 lead.

Long Beach State mounted one final push in the bottom half, loading the bases with two outs, but UC Riverside was able to record the final out and secure the win.

Ka'imi Kahalekai started on the mound, allowing three runs over five innings, while Jaxon Baker provided three scoreless innings in relief to keep the Dirtbags within reach. Alex Ramos was charged with the loss after the Highlanders' late surge.

At the plate, Toomey led the Dirtbags with three hits, while Chandler drove in two key runs during the eighth-inning rally.

Long Beach State and UC Riverside will continue the series Saturday night, with first pitch set for 6:05 p.m. and streaming live on ESPN+.