McAnulty Drives in Three, Eisentrager Goes Six May 31, 2002 PALO ALTO, CA-- The No. 22-ranked Dirtbags (38-19) got over their first hump on their way to Omaha, defeating No. 18-ranked San Jose State (45-16), 6-3, in the first game of the NCAA Regional hosted by Stanford University. The Beach will take on the winner of the CS Fullerton-Stanford game at 3 p.m. on Saturday. The win broke a four-game losing streak in NCAA Regional play, was the Dirtbags eighth win in a row and 10th in the last 11 games. The Spartans went up 2-0 quickly in the top of the first off of back-to-back homers from Gabe Lopez and Hector Zamora. The Beach chipped away in the first before taking a 4-2 lead in the third. LBSU scored on an unearned run in the first before putting three on the board in the third. Paul McAnulty extended his hit streak to 18 games with a two-run double--one of three RBIs in the game-- to give the Dirtbags a 3-2 lead before Brad Davis came through with an two-out RBI single to lead 4-2. Daniel Eisentrager (10-3) after a rough start, fired off 6.0 innings giving up two runs (both in the first) on five hits, striking out three and walking one. It is the first time since 1994 that LBSU had two 10-game winners. Freshman RHP Matt Durkin (11-3) lasted just 4.0 innings, giving up four runs (three earned) on four hits, walking three and striking out one. Durkin entered the game with a 2.55 ERA. Andy Cook shut LBSU down over the middle innings, pitching four shutout innings, before being lifted in the eighth after Jeremy Reed --one of three hits-- led off with a double. Paul McAnulty followed with another RBI double off of closer Frank Esposito, giving LBSU a 5-2 lead. The Dirtbags added one more on a shallow fly ball down the rightfield line, scoring McAnulty to lead 6-2. Chris Demaria retired five in a row before giving up a solo homer to Bryan Baker before closing it out with a strikeout for his fifth save. The game was featured great defensive grabs by The Beach. In the third, Jeremy Reed ended a Spartan rally with a full-out extension toward the centerfield wall off the bat of Lopez for the Spartans second out. In the sixth, Kevin Randel gloved a ball in the hole and fired across the diamond to end the sixth. Both times, SJSU had put runners on base and were unable to score. Nick Orlandos left the game in the bottom of the seventh inning after being hit on the right forearm, swinging and missing on the third strike and third out. His status is day-to-day.
BOX SCORE QUOTES FROM POST-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE
Mike Weathers, Long Beach State Head Coach
"It was a real test for Daniel and the team (after giving up the two homers in the first), but we've planned for that. His performance, putting zeroes on the board, was really what we need from the first game of a regional." Daniel Eisentrager, Long Beach State winning pitcher
(Giving up the two homers) "It take as a shock to me. You saw, I tried to get off the mound calm myself down and Brad Davis came out. But I worked hard and was able to throw my pitches the rest of the way." "It feels good to get that 10th win. Especially at Regionals." Jeremy Reed, Long Beach State Outfielder
(On team's two defensive gems by Reed and Randel) "It stopped their momentum. I think Kevin's play was bigger than mine because there was a runner on second. But both were big." Paul McAnulty, Long Beach State Designated Hitter
(On getting to SJSU's pen early) "We always wanted to get into their pen. To make Durkin throw a lot of pitches. We were able to do that today." "I just wanted to do the best for the team. To get hits when we needed them. See the ball and hit the ball hard." | 
