Report by LBSU

Long Beach State had the bases loaded in the ninth inning, down by a pair, but Cal State Fullerton was able to collect the final out and defeat the Dirtbags 6-4 in the final game of the series.

Jonathan Jones was 2-for-2 after entering the game as a pinch hitter, with a run scored and an RBI for the Dirtbags, who rallied from two different four-run deficits but ultimately fell short on Sunday.

The Titans scored in each of the first four innings, but only picked up a single run in each as Branden Pinder limited the damage in his first six innings of work, picking up key outs including inning-ending strikeouts in both the third and fourth innings.

The Dirtbags struck back in the fifth inning with a pair of runs. Kirk Singer led off the inning with a double, and after an RBI single by Joel Thys, Jordan Casas tripled to cut the CS Fullerton lead back to 4-2.

In the seventh, however, Pinder picked up the first two outs but put two runners on, and Corey Jones doubled home both runners to give the Titans a 6-2 lead.

Long Beach State scored once more in the bottom of the eighth, and Derek Legg started the ninth inning with a single. Juan Avila was hit by a pitch, and after a sacrifice bunt, Jones singled to cut the lead to 6-4. Following a fielder’s choice to catch the lead runner, TJ Mittelstaedt walked to load the bases, but Joey Terdoslavich’s hard liner down the line was stabbed by Richie Pedroza to end the game.

No midweek game this week, so the Dirtbags are back in action on Friday, when they play at Cal State Northridge at 3 p.m.