By A walk-off win on Sunday clinched the series victory over the UC Davis Aggies this weekend at Bohl Diamond on Blair Field.
Friday, May 2, UC Davis 1 – LBSU – 0
A solo home run ended a long battle as the Aggies took game one in a 15-inning game with the Dirtbags.
The pitchers duel of Dirtbags’ junior pitcher Kellan Montgomery and Aggies’ senior pitcher Bryan Green combined for 14 scoreless innings of work.
The best opportunity the Dirtbags had of scoring came in the second inning when freshman left fielder Matt Toomey was thrown at home following a chopper back to the pitcher.
“If we were both better teams, we are not playing 15 innings, so that’s just kind of the byproduct of what we are,” LBSU head coach TJ Bruce said.
Montgomery’s effective day ended when he made way for senior pitcher Albert Roblez in the eighth inning.
Offensively both teams struggled with the Dirtbags going 0-14 with runners in scoring position and the Aggies 0-11.
However, the two bright spots were Toomey, who finished his day 3-4, and graduate right fielder Kyle Ashworth went 3-5 with two walks.
Roblez threw eight innings and struck out 11 batters on 117 pitches, allowing only a solo home run to senior second baseman Nick Leehey in the 15th inning to put the Aggies in front 1-0.
The solo shot was enough to go on to win game one as the Dirtbags couldn’t score in the bottom of the frame.
Saturday, May 3, LBSU 4 – UC Davis 1
Sophomore starting pitcher Owen Geiss’ six-inning one-run (unearned) performance willed the Dirtbags to a series-tying victory.
After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the third, Geiss shut out the Aggies and allowed freshman third baseman Trotter Enright’s bat to heat up.
Dirtbag’s freshman left fielder Matt Toomey is tagged out at home by UC Davis senior catcher Riley Acosta on Friday, May 2, at Blair Field. The Dirtbags failed to score in 15 innings as the Aggies took home the win. Photo credit: Ethan Cohen
He singled in a run fifth to put the ‘Bags up 2-1 after they opened up their scoring with an RBI fielder’s choice, also in the fifth.
Freshman third baseman Jake Evans came into the game as a pinch runner and delivered in his turn at the plate with a solo homer in the seventh to make the score 3-1.
Enright picked up his second RBI of the day in the seventh with a double to extend the Dirtbags’ lead to 4-1, which proved to be enough as the Dirtbags held on for a 4-1 victory to tie the series.
Sunday, May 4, LBSU 5 – UC Davis 4
In extra innings, the Dirtbags took the rubber match in walk off fashion over the Aggies on senior night.
The Aggies had traffic on the bases early as they loaded the bases on two occasions, forcing the Dirtbags to use the bullpen earlier than expected.
Redshirt freshman starting pitcher Jake Fields was able to get out of the bases-loaded jam in the first inning, and junior Alex Ramos came in and cleaned up the second jam in the third.
In the seventh inning, the Aggies loaded the bases for the third time, this time finding home.
Aggie junior left fielder Braydon Wooldridge delivered a sac-fly RBI, which was followed by an RBI single from senior second baseman Nick Leehey to give them the lead 2-0.
The Aggies extended their lead in the eighth following a back-to-back sac-fly RBIs by freshman infielder Houston Hirschkorn and Wooldridge, extending their lead to 4-0.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Dirtbags scored four unanswered runs as Long Beach native and freshman third baseman Jake Evans started the inning with a triple, and he was driven home on an RBI groundout, making it 4-1.
Toomey kept the Dirtbags’ hopes alive with a two-RBI single, followed by senior shortstop Nathan Cadena’s RBI single that tied the game at four.
In the tenth inning, an RBI double by Connor Charpiot delivered the game-winning run to end the game in walk-off fashion.
“It’s an awesome feeling anytime you walk someone off,” Charpiot said. “I told the guys last year, how can you not be romantic about baseball.”
The Dirtbags will face the UCLA Bruins in their final home game on Tuesday, May 6, at Bohl Diamond on Blair Field.
