Aztecs Dispatch Long Beach State in 12 Innings, 7-5

LONG BEACH, Calif. – San Diego State scored three runs in the top of the 12th inning on Wednesday to key a 7-5 comeback victory over Long Beach State in a non-conference game on Bohl Diamond at Blair Field.

With the result, the Aztecs (21-18) complete the season sweep of the Dirtbags after posting a wild 13-10 triumph at Tony Gwynn Stadium on March 4.

Trailing 4-3, SDSU was down to its final strike in the ninth when Dawson Santana scored on Max Farrell’s two-out single to shallow left, which ultimately sent the contest into extra innings. Previously, Santana led off the frame with a base hit and took second on a balk by Beach reliever Tyler Gebb, who received consecutive flyouts before reaching a 3-2 count on Farrell.

Then in the 12th, the Aztecs loaded the bases when Farrell and Anthony Marnell IV drew a pair of walks, sandwiched around Jabin Trosky’s single down the right-field line. Moments later, Farrell raced home on a wild pitch from reliever Van Larson, while Trosky crossed the plate on Reeve Boyd’s RBI single to left center following a strikeout. Tyce Peterson soon plated Marnell on a sacrifice fly to center, giving the Scarlet and Black a 7-4 advantage.

Long Beach State (12-24) narrowed the gap in the bottom of the inning when Trotter Enright drew a leadoff walk and advanced on a groundout before circling bases on Matt Toomey’s RBI double to center. However, Issac Araiza, SDSU’s third reliever of the night, induced two additional groundouts by Dylan Lina and Kaiden Smaka to end the game.

Despite the hiccup, Araiza (2-0) earned his second victory of the year, while Larson (0-3) was tagged with the loss.

The Aztecs utilized four pitchers on the night, featuring a stellar appearance from Jake Frohn, who logged five scoreless innings of relief, offsetting one hit and one walk with a career-high six strikeouts after replacing Bryce McKnight to start the sixth.

After giving up a leadoff single to Enright in the 10th, Frohn struck out the side, fanning Jake Evans, Toomey and Lina in succession to extend the game.

Santana, Farrell, Boyd and Zach Justice led the Scarlet and Black with two hits apiece, while Enright led the Dirtbags with three hits in the loss.

Long Beach State grabbed the early lead in the first when Enright led off with a double down the left field line and eventually scored on Lina’s sacrifice fly.

Unfazed, SDSU put up two markers without a hit in the second when Peterson drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Marnell, while Zane Kelly scored on Santana’s RBI groundout. Previously, Marnell reached on a fielding error at third, while Kelly and Boyd were both struck by pitches from starter Mason Tymick, the first of eight Beach hurlers.

The Aztecs’ slim 2-1 advantage was short-lived, however, as Conner Stewart’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning brought home Reid Montgomery, who led off with a double down the left field line and took third on Aaron Perez’s sacrifice fly.

With the contest knotted at 2-2, the Beach reclaimed a 3-2 lead in the fourth when Perez raced home on Murchael Turner’s sacrifice fly. Earlier, Perez singled and took second on the ensuing throwing error before advancing on Stewart’s sacrifice bunt.

The Dirtbags subsequently increased their advantage to 4-2 on Evans’ leadoff home run in the fifth.

SDSU, which stranded nine runners in the first six innings combined, including two in the first, second and sixth, finally broke through in the seventh when Justice doubled home Jake Jackson, who drew a one-out walk, setting the stage for Farrell’s heroics in the ninth.

Conversely, LBSU experienced its own frustration in the third when it failed to score with one out and the bases loaded, as McKnight fought himself off the proverbial ropes with a strikeout of Smaka before inducing a groundout by Montgomery.

San Diego State will enjoy a bye in its Mountain West schedule this weekend before returning to action on Monday, April 20 for a non-conference clash against Seattle U with a special 11 a.m. PT start at Tony Gwynn Stadium.