Jones Strikes Out 16 in Long Beach Victory

Marcus Jones had a career-high 16 strikeouts as Long Beach State defeated Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 3-1, Saturday to extend the 49ers’ winning streak to eight.

Long Beach State (16-11, 7-1), which remains in first place in the South Division of the Big West Conference, has won nine of its last 10 games.

Jones, a graduate of Esperanza High, pitched his second consecutive complete game, giving up six hits and two walks. Jones, a junior, also moved up from seventh to fourth on Long Beach State’s all-time career strikeout list with 211.

Jones fell behind in the second inning when Matt Priess scored on Boyd Dodder’s one-out double to give the Mustangs (20-8, 2-6) a 1-0 lead.

The 49ers tied the score in the top of the third when Lateef Vaughn scored on J.J. Newkirk’s double. Newkirk later scored giving Long Beach State a 2-1 lead.

In another Big West game:

Cal State Fullerton 9, UC Santa Barbara 6--Leadoff batter Pete Fukuhara had two hits, three runs scored and three RBIs as the Titans defeated UC Santa Barbara to remain two games behind Long Beach in the Big West’s South Division.

Steve Chatham and Gaby Helcovich each had two hits for the Titans (16-14, 5-3).

In Golden State Athletic Conference baseball:

Southern California College 6-4, Biola 2-2--Matt Newton had five hits, including three doubles, in the sweep for Southern California College (20-8, 10-4).

In the Big West Conference women’s gymnastics championships:

Maty wins all-around--Cal State Fullerton’s Katy Maty finished first in the all-around competition and the Titans finished third with a school-record 193.575 points, behind winner Boise State (194.3) and Utah State (194.075).

Maty won the floor exercise and uneven bars to give her a .225-point edge over Boise State’s Diana Loosli in the all-around.

In the UC Irvine Invitational track and field:

Anteater teams finish fourth--Carrie Burman won the 5,000 meters in 18:16.28 and Skye Green won the 400 hurdles in 1:00.42 for Irvine, which had 97 points. San Diego State won with 134.

Freshman Robert Frichtel won the 1,500 in 3:56.42 for the Anteater men, who had 77 points. Cornell won with 159.

In Golden State Athletic Conference track and field:

Hamilton wins 400 meters--Southern California College’s Daniel Hamilton won the 400 in 50.03 seconds. Hamilton also finished fourth in the 200 in 22.56.

Isis Orejel won the women’s 200 (25.54) and 400 (57.62). Maribel Delgado won the 1,500 for the Vanguards in 4:56.25.