After a 13-1 rout of Wichita State the previous day, the Long Beach State baseball team found themselves in another tight ninth inning spot.
LBSU (8-14) trailed the Shockers 2-1 in the top half of the ninth inning. After getting the leadoff runner on base, a pair of sacrifices had the Dirtbags down to their last out with sophomore Michael Hill on second base.
A bloop single to center field from senior Brennan Metzger scored Hill to tie the game at two. Freshman Richard Pritagano then singled to put runners on first and third. Sophomore Jeff Yamaguchi loaded the bases after being hit by a pitch.
Sophomore Brennan Fulkerson was called upon to pinch hit for sophomore Johnny Bekakis. Fulkerson laid down the suicide squeeze scoring Metzger after Wichita State catcher Bob Arens mishandled the bunt.
The Dirtbags took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth after sophomore Royce Murai struck out to end the inning.
Sophomore reliever Kyle Friedrichs earned his first save of the season after closing out the Shockers in the bottom of the ninth.
Pritagano finished the game going 2-for-3, while Metzger finished 1-for-4 with an RBI while scoring the game-winning run.
Senior starting pitcher Matt Johnson tossed 4 and 1/3 innings allowing two runs on six hits while striking out three.
Sophomore reliever Jon Maciel earned his first win of the season after throwing 3 and 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball. Maciel allowed three hits while striking out three.