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Not only did the No. 24 Long Beach State Dirtbags open the season with a win over defending champions No. 3 Mississippi State on Friday, they did it in dominant fashion on the road.
Starting pitcher Luis Ramirez didn’t allow a hit through six innings and the Dirtbags scored late in a 3-0 victory. It’s their first win over a ranked opponent in a season opener since 2008 when they beat No. 6 Rice 1-0 in 10 innings. The Dirtbags hosted an NCAA Regional later that year.
LBSU freshman Kaden Moeller broke the scoreless tie in the seventh inning when he blasted a home run over the left-center field fence off Mississippi State ace and preseason All-American Landon Sims.
That’s all the offense Ramirez, redshirt senior Matt Fields and sophomore Devereaux Harrison needed. Fields replaced Ramirez in the seventh and struck out three while giving up one hit in two innings. Harrison tossed a 1-2-3 ninth inning with one strikeout.
Ramirez retired the first 14 batters he faced before a two-out walk in the fifth.
The Dirtbags scored twice in the eighth thanks to a hustle double from junior Chase Luttrell and sophomore Jonathon Long’s RBI single.
LBSU freshman second baseman Eddie Saldivar went 3-for-3 with a double in his collegiate debut.
This matchup is one of only two series between ranked teams this weekend. The second game is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. PT on Saturday and will be broadcasted live on SEC Network Plus.
