Well, it wasn’t pretty, but the Long Beach State baseball team proved that it has what it takes to win in the clutch, even if it means playing 12 innings.
The Dirtbags improved its record to 5-0 in extra innings Tuesday as they escaped with a 7-6 victory over San Diego State at Tony Gwynn Stadium in the first of a four-game roadstretch in nonconference play.
LBSU reliever Matt Johnson earned the win as he struck out six over the final three innings.
Utility player Mike Marjama had three hits for LBSU, including the first hit in the 12th as he would eventually come around to score the game-winning run.
After a sacrifice moved Marjama to second, a passed ball advanced him over to third before Michael Hill followed with the go-ahead RBI single.
Johnson, who entered the game in the 10th and struck out the first six batters he faced, allowed a single to Ben Vasko to begin the bottom of the 12th.
However, Johnson settled down quickly and but picked up the final three outs, with Brennan Metzger making a sliding catch in center field to seal the win.
The Dirtbags (23-19) walked 10, but SDSU (15-30) left 20 runners stranded on base as it failed to score more than one run in an inning.
The Aztecs took their first and only lead in the second. Vasko led off the inning with a bunt single, and after back-to-back walks from LBSU’s starting pitcher Shawn Stuart, an RBI single by Cody Smith brought home the first run of the game.
Kyle Friedrichs entered the game from Stuart, and induced an inning-ending double play from Ryan Colwell to leave two runners on in the second.
LBSU responded in the top of the third. After a walk by Kirk Singer, the first of a season-high three for the shortstop, Marjama’s double and a single from Ino Patron put LBSU ahead, 2-1.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Aztecs tied the score, but the Dirtbags regained the lead in the fourth. Brennan Metzger singled to start the inning, and after stealing second, came around to score on a sac fly from Singer.
The teams traded runes once in the bottom of the sixth and top of the seventh before LBSU added an insurance run in the top of the eighth. Patron hit his second single of the game to lead off the inning, and following a double by Metzger, Patron scored on a wild pitch to give the Dirtbags a 5-3 lead.
In the eighth inning, the Aztecs pulled back one run. With two outs and a runner on second, LBSU reliever Nate Underwood walked back-to-back batters to load the bases, forcing the Dirtbags to turn to closer Eddie Magallon for a four-out save.
Magallon retired the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the ninth, walked the next two batters in Smith and Ryan Colwell. Singles from Jomel Torres and Chris Wilson scored both runners to tie the game before Magallon induced a groundout from Dillon Bryant to send the game to extra innings.
The Dirtbags will continue its four-game roadstretch Friday when it plays No. 6-ranked Arizona State in Tempe for a three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
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