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The winning streak has reached five games for the Long Beach State Dirtbags after Jonathon Long’s walk-off home run against Cal Baptist on Tuesday night.
The Dirtbags (15-8, 3-3) held a 2-0 lead until the Lancers scored in the seventh and eighth inning, but Long saved the streak with his ninth inning blast over the left field wall of Bohl Diamond at Blair Field.
According to LBSU stats, the home run was launched 109mph off the bat and a projected 419 feet. He’s tied for the team-high with four home runs this season.
Once again the Dirtbags used this as a bullpen game with eight arms getting the call. Sophomore transfer Grant Cherry started with 2.1 scoreless innings. Jonathan Carlos got out of a jam in the third as part of 1.2 scoreless innings. Julian Orozco also recorded two scoreless innings.
“I’m just proud of the group to get this one at home against a tough team,” LBSU coach Eric Valenzuela said. “Usually these Tuesday games have multi-run innings, so even if we gave up those runs late, we didn’t give up multiple runs against a really good offense.”
LBSU took its lead in the second inning when Conner Burns drew a leadoff walk, took second on a passed ball and took third on a wild pitch before reigning Big West Player of the Week Kyle Ashworth drove him home with a clean single. Ashworth, who has seven RBI in the last four games, would score on a Nick Marinconz sacrifice fly.
The Dirtbags host Cal Poly (7-14, 3-3) this weekend. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m.
