Box Score

LONG BEACH, Calif. - Long Beach State defeated Wichita State 7-4 in a back-and-forth game that evened the three-game series.

Ryan Jones went 2-for-4 with two RBI.  Starter Jordan Cooper earned a no decision with 6.1 innings and allowed just one earned run.  Reliever Logan Hoch took the loss after allowing one earned run on one hit.

The Shockers got on the board first with a run in the second inning.  Travis Bennett's bunt single and Clint McKeever's single to left center put runners at first and second with two outs.  Tyler Grimes was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Kevin Hall.  Dirtbag first baseman Steve Tinoco bobbled a hot shot by Hall to allow Bennett to score to give WSU a 1-0 lead on an unearned run.

The Dirtbags added an unearned run of their own in the third inning.  Catcher Kellen Hoime singled to left field with one out and advanced to second on a stolen base and to third on an error by catcher Cody Lassley.  A single to left field by Brennan Metzger drove in Hoime to tie the score at one, but Cooper got the next two batters out on fly balls to end the inning.

Lassley hit his fifth home run of the season in the sixth to put the Shocks back in front 2-1, but the Dirtbags answered with a run in the bottom of the sixth to tie the score at two. 

A Shocker error in the seventh gave LBSU a 3-2 lead, but the Shockers answered in the eighth with a two out two-run single by Ryan Jones to put WSU back in front 4-3.

The Dirtbags again rallied with four runs in the eighth to give them a 7-4 win.

The Shockers are next in action on Sun., March 14 against Long Beach State.  First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. Central time.

-Wichita State-