Despite leaving 14 runners on base, the Dirtbags still managed to score seven runs to get the win Friday night..
Long Beach State (8-12) defeated the University of Nevada Las Vegas, 7-4, in front of 1,141 at Blair Field.
Already up one, the Dirtbags pushed their lead to 5-1 when Devin Lohman stroked an RBI single to left bringing Jonathan Jones home.
Jones went 2-for-2 with an RBI, two walks and three runs scored.
LBSU got some help from Rebels (13-11) catcher Drew Beuerlein, who sailed a pick off throw into center field, allowing Kellen Hoime to score.
LBSU added a run the next inning when Hoime singled home a runner. The Dirtbags’ catcher went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
But the Rebels would not give in as Joe DiMaggio hit a sacrifice groundout to cut the lead to three.
“Our biggest problem has been giving up big innings,” assistant head coach Jon Strauss said. “We don’t give up one [run] we give up three four. And they score four runs, all solo runs. We can live with one-run innings.”
Dirtbag pitcher Adam Wilk (3-1) appeared rattled in the fifth after Ryan Thornton lined an RBI double down the third base line.
The left-hander, however, buckled down to get out of the inning relatively unharmed.
Wilk struck out three in 6 2/3 innings while giving up three runs. This was the second solid Friday start for Wilk and he is satisfied with the position he’s in.
“It’s something I’ve always dreamed of since coming here as a freshman,” said Wilk. “I knew I always wanted to be the Friday starter and I knew it might take a couple of years, but it’s really cool being the Friday starter.”
In the top of the fourth, the Rebels chipped away at the lead when Scott Berke laced a single to left scoring Jesse Wight.
The Dirtbags took their first lead of the game in the first when Rylan Sandoval hit an infield RBI single off UNLV pitcher Jeff Urlab (3-2).
Urlab pitched just 2 2/3 innings giving up six runs on eight hits.
UNLV got on the board in the top of the first when Beuerlein slapped a single to the opposite field, bringing Ryan Thornton around to score.
Thornton — who went 2-for-5 with one RBI — led off the inning with a triple by sending the first pitch of the game to left center field.
Strauss served as head coach on the evening because Dirtbag head coach Mike Weathers, was serving the second of a three-game suspension.
Weathers was tossed from a game against Loyola Marymount for “spewing”, which is a new NCAA rule that subjects coaches to suspension if they spit in the direction of the umpire (inadvertent or not).
“Absolutely [it felt weird],” Strauss said about not having Weathers coaching. “He runs the program but he has taught us well. There is a game plan, so we try not to do anything different that coach Weathers wouldn’t have us do.”
LBSU will be back in action against UNLV on Saturday. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. at Blair Field.