Jones Walks Off the Mobiles in Low-Scoring Series Opener

LONG BEACH, CA – The Long Beach Coast (45-13) snapped their two-game losing skid in the final inning of a pitching duel against the RedPocket Mobiles (13-45).

The Coast, rebranded as the “Regulators” on Friday night, scored first on back-to-back leadoff hits off of Mobiles starter Adam Christopher. Easton Jones, a recent Long Beach addition, scored his BYU teammate Cooper Vest on an RBI double for a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second.

The four subsequent innings remained scoreless, when Christopher for the Mobiles and Nick Bautista for the Regulators hashed it out, handling quick defensive frames. Bautista allowed only one hit to the “Mob” in his first six innings on the mound. After Bautista allowed the first two Mobiles on base in the top of the third, he retired the next 13 batters in a row.

Bautista’s streak ended in the top of the seventh, immediately after he tied his season-high ninth strikeout. Mobiles’ hitters Justin Johnson and TJ McKenzie hit back-to-back singles up the middle into center field, then Efrain Manzo scored the lead runner on a groundout to shortstop to tie the game at 1-1.

Bautista exited after seven innings on the mound, giving way to the first pitching change of the game in the top of the eighth. Long Beach reliever Jonathan Kozasky recorded one out, then served the first Mobiles lead to pinch hitter Kishon Frett, who sent a 410-foot solo home run to center. 

Meanwhile, Christopher allowed his fourth hit in the bottom of the third to Long Beach left fielder Eddy Pelc, then retired the next 10 Regulators in a row. Christopher didn’t allow another hit until the top of the ninth.

Nineteen batters after the last Regulators hit in the bottom of the third, Long Beach center fielder Emilio Corona started off the bottom of the ninth with an infield single behind second base. Six pitches later, catcher Cuba Bess hit a game-tying RBI single to right field, leading to Christopher’s exit after eight complete innings of holding Long Beach to one run.

Mobiles’ reliever Nathan Darden threw four pitches to Cooper Vest and Easton Jones, both of which carried on the chain of hits. Jones’ single into left field scored Bess from third, concluding a 3-2 walk-off victory in the series-opener.

Jones’ walk-off single was the third in Long Beach franchise history, the first of which ended a game on a run-scoring hit.

Kozasky (2-1) threw the final two innings, getting his second win of the homestand. Christopher (0-4), after a near complete game, recorded the loss.

The Coast will finish the Mobiles series with two more games at Blair Field in July, starting with the middle game at 4:35 PM PDT on Saturday night. The Beach Ball Pregame Show will air on HomeTeam Network and Long Beach Coast.

Joey Miller