Game Notes - NCAA Regionals: Game 3

May 26, 2001

Long Beach State (35-23) is eliminated, Marist (33-20-1) will play the winner of the Texas-Stanford game tonight in Game 5 of the Stanford Regional. This was Marist's second win in NCAA Tournament history. In the Lafayette, LA regional in 2000, Marist defeated McNeese State, 6-5, also in an elimination game for the school's first NCAA victory. Marist pitcher Tim Bittner (8-3) grabbed his first postseason victory. In the 2000 regional, he saw 1.0 inning in a 12-3 loss to South Carolina. Bittner threw for 6.1 innings in today's game, giving up four runs on eight hits with only one walk and nine strikeouts. Red Foxes have now won six games by one run this season- the most recent against Fordham, 10-9, on April 25. Long Beach State's starting catcher Bryan Kennedy ends his collegiate career as the school record holder in RBI (183), doubles (60) and HBP (56). 49ers starting left fielder Jeff Jones' RBI gave him 133 in his career, making him third in the school's all-time records. He also holds the eighth spot for homeruns with 17 while junior SS Bobby Crosby is fourth with 21. Bittner's nine strikeouts and the team's 11 gives both the new school records for strikeouts in a single postseason game. The Red Foxes chalked up seven runs, crushing the school record for runs in a single postseason game. Previously, Marist had just set a school record against Stanford in Game 1 with three runs in the 4-3 loss. Long Beach State battled back from a 7-0 deficit to come within one run of tying. Todd Jennings RBI double in the fourth put the 49ers on the board, and in the seventh, they managed to tack on three. In the top of the ninth, Long Beach refused to let go, posting two more runs. The final out of the game left the tying run on base.