Dirtbags Finally Get a Win but Lose Four More

The Dirtbags finally got a win in their Big West opener Friday night in Riverside but fell Saturday and Sunday after losing two more in Northern California during the week. A 1-4 week is not exactly encouraging but considering the losing streak had reached six games prior to Friday night's game, a change in the win column was greatly needed.

The Dirtbags are now just (18-11, 1-2) after starting 17-3 while mopping up tremendous national competition early on. In their current nine-game funk where they are (1-8) they have managed a total of 35 runs or just under four a game. While the defense has struggled much of the season it has definitely caught up to the Beach of late. 46 errors have led to 28 unearned runs. These defensive lapses have proved especially costly away from Blair Field where the Dirtbags are just 6-8.

With a series looming against U.C. Irvine and a season finale three game set with rival Fullerton the Dirtbags need to turn it around in a hurry if they want to win the Big West.

In their first regular season meeting with Stanford in 18 years, Long Beach St. fell 9-3 Monday in Palo Alto. The 13th ranked Cardinal took a 3-0 lead on a long bomb by Sean Ratliff and never looked back. Jason Corder went deep for Long Beach, smacking his fourth of the year. Brett Lorin (1-1) took the loss for the Dirtbags.

Tuesday against Fresno State the Dirtbags losing streak reached six. Despite three homers, including another from a torrid Jason Corder, they couldn't get over the hump losing 7-6. Dirtbag starter Tyler Topp gave up four runs in as many innings, David Roberts (2-1) took the loss in relief. LF Steve Tinoco homered for the first time this season and finished with three R.B.I.'s. Danny Espinosa had the other long ball for The Beach.

The Dirtbags then headed out to Riverside to open up Big West Conference play. Andrew Liebel rebounded from his only rough outing of the season and got The Beach a much needed W. Liebel went the distance, giving up three in the fourth but settling down and keeping the Dirtbags in a game they would go on to win 6-3.

Jason Corder's power streak continued with yet another bomb, his sixth on the season, and this one could not have been any bigger for a struggling team. After falling behind 3-1 in the fourth on two Highlander homers, Long Beach exploded for five in the fifth. Corder's four-bagger broke a 3-3 tie. Five Dirtbags had multi-hit performances pacing a twelve hit attack.

Saturday the Dirtbags quickly reverted to their losing ways by dropping the second game 6-4. Vance Worley took the loss despite leaving the game with a 4-2 lead. All three runners inherited by the Dirtbag pen would come around to score en route to a four run seventh for Riverside. Matt Larkins went seven-and-two-thirds for Riverside to run his record to 4-1.

In today's rubber match the Dirtbags were unable to secure a series win. Previously winless Riverside starter Paul Bargas (1-3) baffled Dirtbag hitters in a wire-to-wire one-run gem. The Highlanders won 7-1. Shane Peterson's second long ball of the year provided the lone tally for The Beach. State's Jake Thompson was lifted in the third and was tagged for seven hits and six earned runs.

The Dirtbags will cruise up the 405 Tuesday to take on the Lions of Loyola Marymount (16-15), before mercifully returning to The Beach, where they hope to re-capture their early season magic and stellar play at Blair Field.