Coming off a weekend series with rival Cal State Fullerton, the Long Beach State baseball team was looking for a quick win Tuesday night against Loyola Marymount.
However, Lions sophomore pitcher Aaron Griffin stood in the way of that outcome as he threw 5 2/3 strong innings to preserve a 5-1 victory for LMU (4-1).
Griffin (2-0), the winning pitcher, struck out a career-high six batters while walking none.
“[Griffin] did a real nice job there”, LBSU head coach Troy Buckley said. “[Griffin] kept the ball down and did good things.”
The Dirtbags (1-3) scored their only run in the bottom of the third when freshman catcher Royce Murai was hit by Griffin. Murai then advanced to second base when junior center fielder Brennan Metzger laid down a sacrifice bunt. Sophomore infielder Matt Duffy singled in Murai later in the inning to give the Dirtbags an early lead.
The Dirtbags went down quietly for two more innings until the sixth, when freshmen Ino Patron and Jeff Yamaguchi both singled hard up the middle. The LMU Lions then went to the bullpen, bringing in sophomore left-handed pitcher Matt Florer.
The Lions were held scoreless for three innings by freshman starting pitcher Jake Stassi, who made his collegiate debut along with four other LBSU freshmen pitchers.
“I think Stassi really competed. His stuff isn’t over powering by any means, but he understands who he is”, Buckley said. “He got some [good] results.”
The Lions scored three of their five runs in the fifth inning off Dirtbags freshman pitcher Kyle Friedrichs, who relieved Stassi to start the fourth inning.
Friedrichs (0-1), who was charged with the loss, ran into trouble when he hit Lions senior Jonathan Johnson in the leg to load the bases. A sacrifice fly, followed by a two-run double by Evan Simonitsch, gave LMU a 3-1 lead.
Friedrichs allowed three earned runs on three hits in two innings.
The Lions scored again in the top of the seventh when Lions junior catcher Matt Koch hit a sacrifice fly that brought in Matt Lowenstein. Koch hit the sacrifice fly off of Dirtbags pitcher Austin Boyle, who relieved fellow freshman pitcher Jon Maciel.
LMU then scored again in the ninth off a Johnson RBI double.
Dirtbags freshman Josh Frye pitched the eighth inning in relief, striking out two batters and picking off another to face the minimum three in his collegiate debut.
“Frye did a nice job and kept things simple”, Buckley said.
LBSU was paced at the plate by Patron, who finished 3-for-4 with a triple.
The Dirtbags return to action Friday against the visiting No. 17-ranked University of Arizona Wildcats at Blair Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
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