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Dirtbags do it again

Once again, the Dirtbags pulled off what seemed to be the impossible.

Down by seven, Long Beach State showed Texas that they would not go down without a fight. The Dirtbags pushed the game into ten innings for a 9-8 win. Their second comeback win in as many days over Texas.

“I’ve been telling these guys that we’re really going to have to learn how to come from behind because of who we’re playing,” head coach Mike Weathers said. “It’s not the way you really want to do it but I’ll take it.”

The hero of the day came from a most unlikely source. Brian Capon, a senior who rarely plays, made his first career hit in the bottom of the 10th to drive in Danny Espinosa for the win. Espinosa also scored the winning run in Friday’s game.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Capon said. “I finally got my first hit. And it was nice to be thrown in there in an extra-inning game. It was quite an experience; it was memorable.”

The Longhorns got on the board early scoring two runs in the first inning, four more in the second and one in the third. Starting pitcher for the Dirtbags, RHP Manny McElroy pitched just 1.2 innings giving up five hits and six runs in only 37 pitches. LHP Adam Wilk then came on the mound for the Dirtbags immediately giving up a double to Longhorn third baseman Bradley Suttle.

Jason Corder got Dirtbags on the scoreboard with a leadoff homerun in the third inning. Designated hitter Chris Lopez then followed with a single. Two walks, a hit by a pitch and one Texas pitching change later, the Dirtbags had two runs on the board.

Steve Tinoco, the Dirtbags biggest contributor of the night, hit a double to left field to drive in Shane Peterson and Kip Masuda. A sacrifice fly from Robert Perry advanced Jason Tweedy to cut the Longhorns lead to 7-5.

Tweedy ended the night being hit by three pitches in just five at-bats. He singled and walked in his other two.

Tinoco went 4-for-4 with two RBIs and a double. Weathers said Tinoco specializes against left-handers, and was a big contributor against Southern California last weekend.

Bryan Shawn took the win, going three innings giving up only one hit, no runs, striking out five and walking three.

Andrew Liebel pitched four shutout innings for the Dirtbags giving up six hits, striking out two and being one of only two pitchers in the game to not walk or hit a batter.

On Friday night, LBSU scored three run in the bottom of the ninth to win 7-6.

The two college baseball powerhouses will meet in the series finale today at 1 p.m. at Blair Field.

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