Score: Long Beach State 8, UC Davis 3
Location: Davis, Calif. (Dobbins Stadium)
Records: UC Davis 18-23 (8-15 Big West), Long Beach State 14-28 (8-15 Big West)
THE SHORT STORY: A 2-2 tie unraveled in the top of the ninth as Long Beach State erupted for six runs to beat UC Davis 8-3 on Saturday night at Dobbins Stadium, locking up the Big West series win.
Noel Valdez delivered another quality start with six innings of two-run ball and three strikeouts on 89 pitches, but the Aggie bullpen surrendered six hits and six runs across the decisive frame.
LEADING OFF
- Valdez tossed 6.0 innings with eight hits, two earned runs, two walks and three strikeouts on 89 pitches, his fourth quality start of the season
- Wooldridge went 2-for-5 with a hit in the third and another in the seventh
- Murphy reached base three times with a double, a walk and an intentional walk
- Johnson finished 1-for-4 with a double, scored UC Davis's third run in the ninth and drove in the second in the second
- Wood (1-2) took the loss after holding LBSU scoreless across the seventh and eighth before allowing three runs on three hits in the ninth
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Valdez and Long Beach State starter Luke Howe traded zeros through the first inning before LBSU broke through in the second on Aaron Perez's two-run homer to right field, scoring Dylan Lina ahead of him for a 2-0 lead.
- UC Davis answered right back in the bottom half: Mault and McNeal opened with back-to-back singles, Lee plated Mault with a sacrifice fly to left, Murphy doubled down the right field line, and Johnson's RBI groundout scored McNeal to tie the game 2-2.
- The teams traded zeros from the third through the eighth as Valdez navigated through six innings of two-run ball and Wood entered to start the seventh, holding Long Beach State scoreless across the seventh and eighth.
- The Beach broke the tie in the top of the ninth: Turner and Gasser singled to put runners on the corners, LBSU's Valdez doubled down the left field line to score Turner and put LBSU ahead 3-2.
- Werth entered with runners on second and third and surrendered an intentional walk to Enright before Chandler's RBI single to left scored Gasser, a wild pitch brought home Valdez, Toomey delivered a two-RBI single through the right side and Lina capped the rally with an RBI double to push the lead to 8-2.
- Meek closed the top of the ninth and the Aggies pushed across one in the bottom half on Johnson's double and Story's RBI groundout to plate Johnson, but it would not be enough, as the Dirtbags would come out on top with the 8-3 win to secure the series.
UP NEXT
UC Davis hosts Long Beach State on Sunday for the series finale at Dobbins Stadium. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. with
Jack Pezzolo set to face off against LBSU's Jason Gerfers.
