The Long Beach State Dirtbags used a four-run sixth inning to steal a 4-3 win against the Pepperdine Waves on Wednesday at Blair Field.
The season-series clinching win was the Dirtbags’ (25-25) first game on a Wednesday this season. The game was scheduled for the usual Tuesday time slot, but was postponed due to the rain.
With the Waves (20-28) holding 2-0 lead, The Dirtbags’ bats finally came alive in the sixth inning when left fielder Matt Hibbert singled up the middle to lead off the inning. Second baseman Jeff McNeil would walk, but Waves pitcher Corey Miller would retire the next two batters in succession. With two outs, shortstop Matt Duffy singled to left field to plate the Dirtbags’ first run of the game.
“We put together a [Yamaguchi] hit and a [Pepperdine] mistake and did a good job with it,” LBSU head coach Troy Buckley said.
Later in the inning, center fielder Brennan Metzger was awarded a catcher’s interference that brought McNeil around for LBSU’s second run. Soon after, freshman Jeff Yamaguchi singled to right field to bring in two more Dirtbag runs to take a 4-2 advantage.
LBSU reliever Nate Underwood (3-0) was credited with the win as he retired all four batters he faced in one and 1/3 innings.
For the first five innings, Waves pitcher Jared Lee held the Dirtbags scoreless. Lee registered five strikeouts and no walks in his outing. It wasn’t until Pepperdine reliever Cory Miller (2-3) came in did LBSU deliver any offense.
“I thought their guy did a real nice job over five innings,” Buckley said. “When he threw strikes we didn’t do much with it.”
Junior Branden Pinder came on in relief in the eighth inning for the four-out save — his second of the year.
The Dirtbags will return to Blair Field to take on Big West rival Cal State Northridge Friday night. The projected starter for LBSU will be junior Andrew Gagnon, who will possibly be making his last home start of his collegiate career. He is predicted to high in June’s Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
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