This probably shouldn’t come as a surprise—two days ago, the Dirtbags one the first of their three-game series against Wichita State (the first time this season they’d won the first game of a series).  Yesterday, they fell back to earth, taking an early lead, losing it, coming back again to take the lead, and ultimately falling 7-5.  Kellen Hoime and Steve Tinoco each drove in two runs for Long Beach State.

Jordan Casas got the Dirtbags on the board in the first. The right fielder led off the game with a hit, and after a sacrifice and a wild pitch, he would score on a grounder from Devin Lohman.  Wichita State would recover to take a 2-1 lead in the third. A two-out rally by the Shockers would negate two early strikeouts by starter Jake Thompson as Ryan Jones and Chris O’Brien each came up with RBI singles.

A solo homer from Tyler Grimes would place the Shockers on top 3-1, but Long Beach State recovered in the sixth inning. TJ Mittelstaedt started off the inning after being hit for a team-leading sixth time, and Devin Lohman singled to put two runners on. After a sacrifice bunt by Derek Legg, Tinoco drove in two runs to tie the game. A third single by Rylan Sandoval and a sacrifice fly from Hoime allowed Long Beach State to reclaim the lead.

After setting the side down in order in the bottom of the sixth, Thompson returned for a seventh inning of work, and allowed a home run to Cody Lassley to tie the game. The Shockers would go from there to put up a big inning, scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh.  Long Beach State pulled back one run in the eighth, taking advantage of some wildness from Chance Sossamon, but Sossaman would settle down, getting a two-inning save to close the game for Wichita State.

The Dirtbags and the Shockers will play one final game for the series tomorrow. First pitch at Eck Stadium is scheduled for 11am our time.

From LBSU reports