By Jack Haslett
A marathon matchup between Long Beach State and the University of Washington ended in a 3-3 tie on Sunday at Bohl Diamond on Blair Field after nearly 17 innings of play before being called for time so Washington could stay on track with their travel schedule.
The game was the Dirtbags’ longest in over 50 years, since a March 30, 1973 game against San Jose State that spanned 20 innings and also ended in a tie.
Dirtbags sophomore starting pitcher Kellan Montgomery dominated the mound totaling five strikeouts in five innings with just two hits allowed.
The Dirtbags’ defense flashed its leather today, especially junior center fielder Alex Champagne who made several nice plays throughout the game, most notably laying out for a catch deep right-center field to end the first inning.
“We want to play this smothering style of defense and impose our will on the other team,” interim head coach Bryan Peters said.
2/18/24 - Long Beach, Calif: Junior pitcher Alexander Mihalakis showed his emotion throughout the game Sunday against Washington as he pitched around two innings and struck out three batters while only giving one up hit at Bohl Diamond on Blair Field. The Dirtbags would struggle on offense however as the game ended in a tie in the 17th inning due to Washington's flight. Photo credit: Samuel Chacko
The offense was a rarity for both teams as Long Beach’s only run in the first nine innings came from a 112 mph solo home run off the bat of junior designated hitter Cole Santander in the fourth.
The ninth inning arrived without either team scoring a run since Santander’s fourth-inning home run.
Freshman shortstop Adrian Lopez came to bat with a roaring crowd behind him and the winning run on second base but would strike out, sending the game into extra innings tied 1-1.
The Huskies took back their lead in the 11th thanks to an RBI single from sophomore third baseman Aiva Arquette, forcing The Dirtbags to have to score in the bottom of the inning.
Senior catcher John Newman Jr. smacked an RBI single into shallow center field, scoring sophomore pinch runner Justin Roulston and keeping Long Beach’s hopes alive. That would be the Dirtbags’ only run of the inning, tying the game at two and progressing to the 12th inning.
Washington took the lead again in the 13th after a single from junior left fielder AJ Guerrero to lead off the inning and an RBI double from redshirt junior first baseman Jeter Ybarra that would score Guerrero.
Senior infielder Nolan Funke pinch hit for the Dirtbags in the 13th and delivered in the biggest way he possibly could, ripping a first-pitch fastball into the left field gap for a rocket double to score Roulston and tie the game at three.
2/18/24 - Long Beach, Calif: Senior designated hitter Nolan Funke pinch hit for Landon Greenhouse; he got his first opportunity to hit and didn't disappoint as he hit an RBI double to tie the game back for the Dirtbags in the bottom of the 13th inning. The game ended in a 3-3 tie in the 17th inning due to the Washington needing to catch a flight home but Funke would go 2-2 in his at-bats at Bohl Diamond on Blair Field. Photo credit: Samuel Chacko
“The first pitch he sees in a Long Beach State uniform he doubles…It’s a rewarding thing as a coach to see our players that have this hunger to help the team win,” Peters said.
Failure to execute with runners in scoring position plagued the Dirtbags in extra innings. They left five runners in scoring position after the ninth inning, including a bases-loaded opportunity in the 16th.
Following an intentional walk with one out to the extra inning hero Funke, the umpires met and concluded that the game was to be called a tie.
The Dirtbags’ next contest is at home against North Dakota State University on Tuesday, Feb. 20 at 6 p.m.
