* Greatest College Baseball Rivalry This Weekend
* No. 13 CS Fullerton Comes to The Beach to Renew Series
* Conference Begins Next Week Against UC Irvine
March 21, 2007 PDF VERSION OF THE RELEASE Record: 12-7 Big West: 0-0 | High Rank: No. 18 (Coaches Poll/B.America)
vs. Ranked Teams: 9-7
Back Home Against the Titans: The epic battle between West Coast rivals No. 18-ranked Long Beach State (12-7) and No. 13-ranked CS Fullerton (13-9) heats up this weekend in the first of two weekend series. This non-conference affair at Blair Field will feature RHP Vance Worley (1-0, 3.38), LHP Omar Arif (1-3, 3.81) and an undetermined starter against Fullerton righthanders Wes Roemer (3-3, 4.22), Jeff Kaplan (3-2, 3.67) and Sean Urena (3-2, 3.54). With the schedules being bumped back next season, thanks in part to our friends in the North, the two teams will play just one conference series next season. This weekend continues a streak of 20 of the team's first 23 games against ranked opponents to start the year, leading in part to the team's No. 1 RPI rating according to Boyds World. UPCOMING SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, MARCH 23
#13 CS Fullerton
Blair Field | 6:30 p.m. | Long Beach, CA
LB: R-Vance Worley (1-0, 3.38)
CSF: R-Wes Roemer (3-3, 4.22)
SATURDAY, MARCH 24
#13 CS Fullerton
Blair Field | 6:30 p.m. | Long Beach, CA
LB: L-Omar Arif (1-3, 3.81)
CSF: R-Jeff Kaplan (3-2, 3.67)
SUNDAY, MARCH 25
#13 CS Fullerton
Blair Field | 1 p.m. | Long Beach, CA
LB: to be announced
CSF: R-Sean Urena (3-2, 3.54)
ABOUT THE TITANS (13-9):
BA: .273; ERA: 4.65; FLD: .959
The Titans after an off weekend return to action on Friday with OF Clark Hardman leading the club with a .370 average and newcomer, 3B Joel Weeks batting .324... Infielder Evan McArthur played for the first time last week against San Diego, at short... Adam Jorgenson is the club's closer with three saves in 11 appearances, while Justin Klipp has a 2.31 ERA... last year Friday night starter, Wes Roemer was 1-0 with an 0.53 ERA in two starts, striking out 14 and allowing just nine hits over 17.0 innings.
CSF SERIES NOTES: The Beach were swept by the Titans in 2006 in all six meetings for the first time since 1998... CSF outscored The Beach 23-3 on the final day of the regular season, knocking LBSU out of post-season play... in 2002, LBSU knocked the Titans out of Regional play... CSF holds a 50-42 advantage since 1989, having won the last seven meetings.
DIRTBAGS AGAINST THE TITANS: Mike Weathers is 10-20 against CS Fullerton since 2002. Prior to last year's two sweeps, LBSU had won three of eight series... Brandon Godfrey had two mulit-hit games during the non-conference series in 2005... Andrew Liebel has allowed one earned run over three appearances and 5.1 innings or relief in 2006... Andre Lamontange allowed one run in 1.2 innings in May, 2006... Shane Peterson gave up three earned over an 1.0 inning of work in March, 2006... Bryan Shaw has faced Fullerton four times, allowing one earned over 5.1 innings... Vance Worley has yet to allow an earned run over 4.2 innings, going 0-1 out of the pen in four appearances.
On-Deck: The Beach opens up Big West play at UC Irvine starting on March 30 through April 1... LBSU then hosts 12-straight at home through April 24.
Anyone Craving a Dirtbag Game?: Individual and group packages for the 2007 season are on sale online at www.longbeachstate.com and by calling the ticket office at (562) 985-4949.
Courting the Rankings: The Dirtbags dropped a wee bit this week, falling a spot to No. 18 in Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America. The Coaches Poll has The Beach No. 20. For the first time, the Dirtbags have an RPI of 1, according to Boyds World.com. LBSU began the year ranked No. 30 for the first two weeks. LBSU was ranked to begin the year for the 16th time in the pre-season since 1989.
Beach Play it Close in Wichita: Three one-run games is what was on tap at No. 12-ranked Wichita State, as the Shockers won the series with a run in the 13th inning on Sunday as they took two of three (W 2-1, L 7-8, L 2-3 (13)). In Friday's game, a pitching duel ensued between Travis Banwart and Vance Worley, but it came down to the bullpen, as Brandon Godfrey made up for two errors earlier in the contest to drive home the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth with a double. It was the team's fifth win in its last at-bat this season. On Saturday, LBSU twice trailed by four, only to fall by one after scoring three unearned runs in the seventh. Brian Capon's two-run single made it 8-7, before the WSU bullpen retired the final seven batters of the game. On Sunday, LBSU took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth, only to watch the Shockers tie it off of closer Bryan Shaw, before they won it with a one-out double, after Shaw had gone a career-high 4.2 innings, in the 13th.
National Television for the Dirtbags: The Beach will twice be on College Sports Television this spring, at San Diego State on May 8 and at CS Fullerton on May 26. CSTV.com, its online venture, also provides webcasts and gametracker software for following other LBSU games this season.
You Don't See That Everyday: The team's three-straight one-run games in one series is a rarity, and maybe even a first. Since 1980 (the team's recorded history), LBSU has played three-straight one-run games just three times, 1996 against Washington State, Pepperdine and Ohio State and in 1985 and 1981.
Worley Solid Despite No-Decisions: Friday night starter Vance Worley (1-0, 3.38), may have five no-decisions to his name, but when he starts, LBSU has won, as the Dirtbags have gone 4-2 when he starts. Worley has struck out 29 and walked just nine on the season.
Perry Continues Solid Stretch: Outfielder Robert Perry continues a solid senior season from the top of the order, batting a team-best .342 with 15 runs and 11 RBIs. Perry has also walked a team-best 11 times. Perry will likely move to one of the corner spots when Chris Nelson (hamate) plays centerfield this weekend. Nelson was kept out of last week's series in Wichita with tendinitis following his surgery.
Slump No More: First Baseman Brandon Godfrey, who saw his average rise 221 points following a 10-for-15 weekend in Arizona State, continues to contribute, batting .340 with eight RBIs and seven runs. Godfrey has made 13 starts at first this year.
No Sophomore Slump Here: Shortstop Danny Espinosa continues a solid second season batting .338 with a team-best 13 runs and team-leading 16 RBIs. Espinosa ranks amongst Big West leaders in slugging percentage (.558) and along with outfielder Jason Corder (.591). Prior to Sunday, Espinosa had not made an error all year.
Freshman Earns Time: Outfielder Steve Tinoco hit his second home run of the season at Wichita State and is slugging at a .606 clip to go along with his .333 average in 14 games and nine starts.
Solid Out of the Pen: The duo of Andrew Liebel (0.74) and Bryan Shaw (2.12) continue to be solid out of the pen at the back end of a game. Liebel has struck out 14 and walked three, while Shaw has five saves in 10 appearances.
Playing Time Gets Tight: With roster limits set next week, LBSU will have to make some tough decisions as to who will playing during conference games. The team has switched between three catchers this season and has had three different starting third basemen. The team has also employed 13 pitchers.
More Gray Hairs Await: Against top-25 teams, the Dirtbags have already played 12 games within two runs, winning two one-run affairs in extra innings (top-10 ranked Rice and Texas) and are 5-6 overall in one-run games. The entire Wichita State series was decided by single runs each game.
Comeback Kids: The Dirtbags have already come back from two seven-run deficits this year (at Pepperdine and against Texas). The team's win at Wichita State in the ninth last Friday was the team's fifth win in its last at-bat. Six of the team's victories have had LBSU coming from behind to win.
There's a First: 1B Brandon Godfrey and SS Danny Espinosa became the first set of teammates to each have five hits in a game when they did so on March 11 at Arizona State as part of a 23-hit attack.
McElroy Out 4-6 Weeks: RHP Manny McElory (1-0, 9.00), the team's Saturday starter the first two weeks, will miss four to six weeks with a torn rib cage in his back. McElroy was a former junior college All-American at Bakersfield City College last year. McElroy is expected back near the end of March or early April. The schedule will be forgiving for The Beach, as the two-week break in late February misses two weekend starts.
Boyd is It Tough: After having arguably the toughest schedule in Division-I baseball last season, LBSU gets the dubious honor again, as according to Boyds World, the Dirtbags strength of schedule was No. 1 nationally to begin the year.
And Your Name is?: After seeing 35 players head off to professional baseball over the last four seasons, this year's team is very young, featuring 21 underclassmen. Two of those sophomores, shortstop Danny Espinosa and righthander Vance Worley, are two of the Big West's top prospects for the 2008 draft. Another sophomore, designated hitter Shane Peterson, is the program's top returning hitter (.328). The pitching staff features seven freshmen and five sophomores.
Best Young Talent: Baseball America put out its annual list of top-100 young players and Long Beach State alums, Evan Longoria and Troy Tulowitzki are in the publciation's top-15. Longoria, who ended 2006 in Double-A after being taken third overall in 2006, is rated as the seventh-best young prospect, while Colorado Rockies shortstop, Troy Tulowitzki, is No. 15.
Major League Talent: With camps opening in February, Long Beach State Baseball,which has produced 28 Major Leaguers all-time, had 13 former players in The Show last year, amongst the most in Division-I baseball. Since 1999, according to Baseball America's research, LBSU has had the eighth-most Major Leaguers (18). The veterans have included 10-year men, Chris Gomez, Steve Trachsel and Jason Giambi, while the ‘newer' crop has the likes of Bobby Crosby, Mike Gallo, Jeremy Reed, Jered Weaver and the newest Major Leaguer, Troy Tulowitzki.
Organized Talent: As if 13 Major Leaguers is not enough, the next crop is well on its way as eight former players are amongst their organization's top-30 prospects. Not including Rockie shortstop, Troy Tulowitzki, who is the top prospect in that organization, 2006 first round pick, Evan Longoria is No. 2 in Tampa Bay and former lefthanded reliever, Steve Hammond, is No. 7 in Milwaukee. Among others: in the top-20 are Cesar Ramos (No.10 in San Diego), Andrew Carpener (No. 17 in Philadelphia), Paul McAnulty (No. 18 in San Diego) and Brian Anderson (No. 19 in San Francisco).
First is Always Best: According to Baseball America, since 1999, the Long Beach State program has produced the fourth-most first round picks (Crosby, Weaver, Tulowitzki, Longoria), being only outdistanced by Stanford (6), Rice (5) and USC (5). The first three have all made the Majors, while Longoria finished off his first professional season in Double-A.
Post-Season Success: Since the birth of Dirtbag Baseball in 1989, the program has reached four College World Series, two Super Regionals and 15 NCAA Regionals. Despite missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six seasons in 2006, the Dirtbags have reached more College World Series then all but nine other programs since 1989. As part of Baseball America's research, they placed the Dirtbags at No. 15 nationally based on the program's success from 1999 to the present (the expansion to the 64-team field).
Video Killed the Radio Star: EA Sports came out with their latest edition of its MVP 2007 College Baseball Game and Angels rookie and former National Player of the Year (and alum) Jered Weaver is on the cover. Weaver completed his first Major League season in 2006, going 11-2 with a 2.56 ERA. Weaver won his first nines starts as a Major Leaguer.
Dirbags Picked in the Middle of the Pack: According to the conference's coaches, LBSU is picked as the fourth-best squad in the Big West. Baseball America agrees with that assestment, while Rivals.com has LBSU ranked third.
On the Air and on the Net: Every game this season will be over the internet at www.longbeachstate.com. The games will also be available through CSTV's Gametracker software and CSTV's Webcast software. The webcast will be a static camera behind home plate as fans can see the action at Blair Field and on a given Tuesday night can open their front doors to really feel like they are at the friendly confines.
Baseball to Endow Scholarship for Coach: The baseball program is in the process of endowing a scholarship named after former Head Coach Bob Wuesthoff (1964-69), who led the 49ers to their first conference title in 1964. The seven-man committee of former players and coaches, led by LBSU's first coach John McConnell has already raised over $120,000 en route to $150,000 over five years. Those interested can call (562) 985-4662 for more information.
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