Box Score

Playing its final game of the 2016 season on Tuesday night at home against #25 Long Beach State, LMU (26-27) fought to the final out, putting the winning run in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth, but junior Austin Miller struck out to end the game as the Dirtbags (32-18) escaped Page Stadium with a 5-4 victory.

LMU trailed 5-2 headed into the ninth, but it would not surrender without a fight, opening the frame with three straight hits, including an RBI-single from Niko Decolati to drive home the first run of the inning. With runners at first and second following the hit from Decolati, pinch runner Joe Murray tried to move up to third on a ball in the dirt, but was thrown out for the first out. A walk and a hit-by-pitch once again loaded the bases before a shallow fly ball failed to bring home a run. Hitting with two out and the bags still full, Spencer Erdman shot a single to the hole at shortstop where Garrett Hampson dove and kept the ball on the infield, allowing one run to score, but keeping the one-run advantage for the Dirtbags. With the game on the line and Miller at the plate, Austin McGeorge struck out the native of Greeley, Colo. to secure his fourth save of the year.

Chris Rivera was credited with the win after tossing 3.1 scoreless innings of work and allowing just three hits with three strikeouts for Long Beach State. The right-hander improved to 2-2 with the decision.

Junior Blake Redman was tagged with the loss after allowing five runs on seven hits and one walk with four strikeouts over 5.0 innings of work. The loss dropped Redman to 6-5 on the year.

LMU got off to another slow start offensively in the game, as LMU trailed 2-0 headed into the fifth. Long Beach State got its first run in the second inning when Daniel Jackson punched an RBI-single into left field to bring home Luke Rasmussen. Brock Lundquist single-handedly doubled the lead to 2-0 in the fourth, belting his second homer of the year over the wall in right field for a solo shot.

Erdman, who finished 2-for-5 with three RBI, got the Lions back in the game in the fifth, blooping a two-out two-RBI single into right-centerfield to chase home Decolati and Phil Caulfied who both drew walks earlier in the frame.

Long Beach State did not allow the momentum to stay with LMU for long, as the Dirtbags scored three runs on three hits in the sixth to claim the 5-2 lead it would take into the ninth. David Banuelos had the big blow, lining a two-out two-RBI single into left field off of reliever Cory Abbott to cap the scoring run.

LMU used five total pitchers on Tuesday, with senior Michael Silva fittingly finishing the game on the hill in his final appearance as a Lion. Silva allowed one hit over a scoreless top of the ninth.

In addition to Erdman, Seaver Whalen and Jamey Smart also had two-hit nights, with Whalen scoring a run.

LMU finishes the 2016 season at 26-27 overall.