Beach drops first two to Cal

In a pair of high-scoring affairs LBSU came up short last night and this afternoon at Blair.

Jeff Lease couldn't finish the first inning - giving up four hits and four runs (two earned) - and Long Beach dropped a 9-6 decision to Cal on Saturday afternoon.

Devin Lohman had three hits and T.J. Mittlestaedt reached base in five of his seven plate appearances and had 2 RBI's.

Drew Gagnon pitched five and a third innings of relief, striking out five and giving up three runs.

Cal won the opener 11-8 despite trailing 8-4 in the middle innings.

The Dirtbags defense, especially at third base, struggled again committing five errors leading to Cal's three run ninth inning rally and seven unearned runs for the Golden Bears.

Tyler Topp got the start in place of Jake Thompson but didn't make it out of the fourth.

Mittlestaedt had another strong game out of the DH spot going 3 for 4 with 2 RBI's.

Rylan Sandoval had three errors at third after Taylor Krick had a two error game at the hot corner last Sunday.

Probables for Cal Series

After a mid-week win over LMU, Long Beach has another Pac-10 foe this weekend in Cal Berkeley. 

Jake Thompson gets the nod tonight against the Golden Bears. The most proven starter for LBSu should assume this role full time but was slotted Saturday against SC so he could start the highly anticipated home opener.

Jeff Lease will get his first start as a Dirtbag on Saturday afternoon. Lease has worked two and a third innings in relief and I think Coach Weathers wants to get a look at the sophomore southpaw in a different capacity.

Freshman Andrew Gagnon (pronounced Gey-ohn) will start Sunday after tossing five good innings in his Dirtbag debut a week ago in LA. It should be an exciting first appearance at Blair as well.

Tyler Topp is still in the mix to start and Adam Wilk pitched so well at LMU he could find his way into the weekend rotation as well. 

LBSU travels to South Carolina for a three game set before returning to Blair for five games in eight days. Topp and Wilk could easily start those two Tuesday games but I'm sure Weathers and his staff would like to see his veterans get some work in there before then and that Saturday start could be it regardless of Lease's performance.

First pitch later tonight is at 6:30, 2 and 1 Saturday and Sunday. This will be the typical weekend schedule for LBSU games at Blair.

Dirtbags tame Lions

LBSU went back to LA today and held on late for a 9-6 win against Loyola Marymount.

Adam Wilk went seven strong innings giving up just two hits and one run.

The bats came out again too as T.J. Mittlestaedt (three hits) led six Dirtbags with multi-hit performances.

Five other guys -- Jones, Casas, Lohman, Krick and Legg -- all had a pair. 

So the top five in the lineup were 10-for-22 with 5 RBI's as Long Beach runs their record to 2-2.

Charlie Ruiz worked the ninth for the save.

The Cal Golden Bears come to Blair for three this weekend.

Team Preview: Part II (The Pitchers)

As promised here is part two of the season preview featuring the pitching staff and info about the schedule. Three games in the picture looks a little clearer. 

Thompson and Gagnon solidified their weekend spots. Lease and Wilk may battle Topp for the other slot. McElroy will stay in the 'pen for the time being.

Here's an in-depth look at the 2009 staff.

LMU tomorrow, Cal this weekend.

Dirtbags get first win in '09

It was Oscar Sunday in LA and the Dirtbags stole the show.

The freshman came up big for LBSU as Drew Gagnon had a strong first outing and Derek Legg, lauded for his hands at second base, had three hits to lead Long Beach to a 5-4 win over USC.

After dropping the first two games of the series it was great for The Beach to get a win and show some mettle, answering each scoring output from the Trojans with one of their own.

LBSU will start Adam Wilk Wednesday at LMU and take on Cal at Blair Field next weekend.

Thompson and Gagnon will get starts again, Topp or Lease should get the nod in the other game.

D'Bags avoid sweep with 5-4 win at USC

The long wait is over....

Spring is finally here.

It's a beautiful day for baseball.

I'm at Dedeaux Field in Los Angeles and the Trojans are about to take the field.

Dirtbags starting line-up today:

Jones - CF

Legg - 2B

Krick - 3B

Blood - DH

Lohman - SS

Tinoco - 1B

Avery - LF

Hoime - C

Casas - RF

Gagnon on the bump

USC shuts out LBSU in home opener

Back down the 405 the Dirtbags luck wasn't much better Saturday night.

USC took game two, and the only one at Blair, 4-0.

Sophomore Jake Thompson pitched well, scattering three hits over seven scoreless innings, but the Trojans broke through for four in the eighth and the Dirtbags had no answer for SC pitching.

USC starter Kevin Couture went seven innings allowing just two hits and striking out 10.

Manny McElroy took the loss for The Beach walking the only two batters he faced in the 8th before Dustin Rasco gave up two big hits as all four Trojans would come around to score.

In two games LBSU has managed just seven hits while striking out 26 times.

SC starters are 2-0 with 13 IP, 3 H, 21 k's and 0 ER's

Long Beach looks to stave off a sweep tomorrow back in Los Angeles at 1 p.m.

Freshman Drew Gagnon makes his first collegiate start for the Dirtbags.

D'Bags drop opener at Dedeaux

In their season opener LBSU fell 5-3 at USC.

Taylor Krick hit a three-run bomb to put the Dirtbags on the board in the eighth but they couldn't muster any more of a comeback.

Highlights - Krick's homer, Freshman Derek Legg's first hit

Lowlights - Devin Lohman with a golden sombrero out of the clean-up spot and Tyler Topp not making it out of the fourth

Home opener at 5 o'clock tomorrow

The Boys of Blair are back!

2009 Dirtbag Preview Part 1

The 2009 LBSU Dirtbags are back in full force tomorrow evening at Dedeaux Field in Los Angeles. Long Beach will take on USC to open the season. Saturday's game will be at home and will follow the men's basketball BracketBuster game at 2:30. 

LBSU swept the Trojans last winter. We will start the preview off with the defense - infield and outfield - then unveil the pitching staff and some other odds and ends next Tuesday.

Part 1 of the Team Preview - Infield/Outfield

Check back this weekend for updates on the USC series. I will be at the game Sunday, so expect a full Sunday game story and weekend recap shortly after that contest is complete.