SAN DIEGO — The Long Beach State Dirtbags fell, 6-3, against the host San Diego State Aztecs Tuesday night at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
The game started off slowly, with each pitcher working at a snail’s pace. The scoring opened in the top of the third inning, when Jonathan Jones hit a solo home run to left field to put LBSU ahead, 1-0.
The 49ers’ (17-19) lead was short-lived when the Aztecs (27-15) responded quickly, plating two runners in the bottom half of the frame to take the lead, and they would only extend it from there.
With one on and one out in the home half of the fifth, Cory Vaughn hit a towering homer to left field that cleared the row of palm trees beyond the fence, plating Erik Castro to bring his season RBI total to 40.
In the eighth inning, Vaughn hit another line-drive home run — his ninth of the year — that barely cleared the left field wall.
Ryan O’Sullivan (2-2) picked up the win as he dominated on the hill for the Aztecs, allowing three runs on six hits over eight innings.
SDSU head coach Tony Gwynn turned the ball over to his closer, Addison Reed, in the top of the ninth, and the 49ers failed to muster up a challenge to prevent the pitcher from collecting his 13th save of the season.
The Dirtbags return to Big West Conference action this weekend in a three-game series at the University of Pacific starting Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.