LONG BEACH, California — A six-run, fourth inning propelled Long Beach State to a 10-7 win over BYU in the first of four games for the Cougars at Bohl Diamond at Blair Field.
Long Beach (3-5) scored 10 runs on 10 hits while stranding 16 runners. Meanwhile BYU (4-4) scored seven runs on eight hits, leaving nine runners on base.
HIGHTLIGHTS
• Ezra McNaughton: 3-4, 2R, 2RBI, HR
• Matt Hansen: 2-3, 2RBI, R, DBL
• Dan Brousseau: 2.1 innings, 3SO, 0 Runs
SUMMARY
Following a scoreless first inning, Long Beach struck first in the bottom of the second inning with a lead-off walk, a stolen base and single to left for a 1-0 lead.
BYU tied the game in the top of the third at 1-1. Parker Goff was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and Easton Jones singled to right. Two outs later Goff scored on a wild pitch to even the score. The Dirtbags responded with two more runs in the top half of the inning on two hit batters, a single and two BYU errors to go up 3-1.
The Cougars answered with two runs in the top of the fourth inning to pull even at 3-3. Back-to-back singles by McNaughton and Ryder Robinson, combined with a Crew McChesney walk loaded the bases. One out later, Hansen drove in two runs to tie the game with a single to centerfield.
Long Beach exploded for six runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning off three walks, a hit batter, five hits and another Cougar error to take a commanding 9-3 lead.
Both teams tacked on a run in the fifth inning to push the score to 10-4. With one out, BYU first baseman McNaughton homered deep over the right field wall for his third home run of the young season.
After two scoreless innings, the Cougars cut the Dirtbags’ lead to 10-7 in the top of the eighth. Matt Hansen doubled to lead off the inning and advanced to second when Goff was hit by a pitch. A groundball by Keoni Painter, combined with a throwing error by Long Beach, scored Hansen. A double by Anderson to left scored Painter and a single to center scored McNaughton, to end the Cougar scoring for the night.
UP NEXT
BYU will play two neutral-site games with Washington State on Thursday and Friday at Blair Field, with both games scheduled for 1:05 p.m. PT. Then BYU and Long Beach will finish the four-game weekend on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 1:05 p.m. PT.
BROADCAST PLANS
All three games will be broadcast live on BYUradio.org and the BYU Radio app with the two games versus WSU being simulcast on 107.9 FM in Utah County. Matt Baiamonte will have the radio play-by-play call live from Bohl Diamond.