LA JOLLA, Calif.—UC San Diego baseball defeated Long Beach State, 7-4, on Friday evening in Triton Ballpark. The Tritons (12-8, 4-3 Big West) moved to 7-3 in the all-time series with the Dirtbags (7-14, 1-6 Big West) after taking the series opener.
 
Emiliano Gonzalez led the Tritons offensively, finishing 2-for-3 with three RBI, a run scored, a home run and a walk. Gabe Camacho also hit a home run, going 2-for-4 with two RBI, two runs scored and a walk. J.C. Allen also finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Starter Matthew Dalquist (3-1) went 6.0 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Sam Hasegawa earned his first career save, pitching the final 3.0 innings and allowing two runs on five hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
UC San Diego was quick to strike, scoring two runs on a Camacho homer to right field in the bottom of the first inning. The Tritons threatened for more, loading the bases with two outs in the second and third innings but were unable to capitalize on the opportunities.
 
The Dirtbags got on the board in the top of the third with an RBI ground-out to make it 2-1. LBSU evened the score in the top of the fifth with an RBI double to make it 2-2.
 
UC San Diego responded right away, scoring four runs on two hits and one error in the bottom of the fifth to retake the lead. With the bases loaded for the third time in the contest, Hackworth reached on a fielder's choice that brought in Camacho from third. J.C. Allen scored on a failed pick-off attempt that sailed into center field with nobody covering an empty second base. Gonzalez brought in the final two runs with a homer to left field to make it, 6-2, Tritons.
 
Long Beach State threatened in the top of the sixth with two on and no outs but a pair of strikeouts for Dalquist and a fly-out ended the inning without a run.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Gonzalez brought in his third run of the game with an RBI single up the middle to score Allen to make it 7-2.
 
Long Beach State rallied one final time in the bottom of the ninth, scoring two runs on four hits to make it 7-4 with one out. Hasegawa forced a pop up to second base and got the final strikeout swinging to end the ballgame and secure the win for the Tritons. 
 
UC San Diego scored seven runs on eight hits, leaving nine on base while the Dirtbags scored four runs on 12 hits and left 12 stranded.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Emiliano Gonzalez knocked his fifth home run of the season and Gabe Camacho recorded his fourth. UC San Diego currently leads the Big West with 32 homers this season. 
• Sam Hasegawa earned his first career save in the contest.
• Jayden Lee made his first collegiate start in the contest, playing in left field.
• The Tritons are now 7-3 in the all-time series with Long Beach State.

UP NEXT
The Tritons will remain home for the second game of the series with Long Beach State on Saturday at 2 p.m. in Triton Ballpark. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with live statistics available via UCSDTritons.com.

About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 24-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Divisions I and II.