Madison Gets Winning Hit for the 49ers

Jaron Madison drove in the game-winning run with a seventh-inning single as Long Beach State beat Sacramento State, 8-7, in the opening round of the Big West Conference baseball tournament Thursday at Blair Field.

It was the second run batted in of the game for Madison. Terrmel Sledge and Justin Hall also drove in two runs each for Long Beach State (34-20-1).

Darren Merrill gave up five hits and two runs but struck out nine in 5 2/3 innings of relief to improve to 5-0 for Long Beach, which plays Nevada in the second round at 3 today at Titan Field.

Bryan Kennedy had three hits and an RBI also for the 49ers.

In another tournament game:

Nevada 29, Pacific 1--Nevada continued its high-scoring ways in the first round at Titan Field.

It was the ninth consecutive victory for Nevada (31-20) and the seventh game in the last eight the Wolf Pack has scored at least 15 runs.

Nevada pounded out 25 runs in the first three innings, 10 of them off Pacific’s top pitcher, Darin Moore (7-5).

Matt Ortiz was four for four with five runs batted in and had a grand slam in the second. Justin Martin also had four hits, including a home run, and four RBIs. Paul Bartolucci also had five RBIs.