Long Beach State University Athletics
Dirtbags to Host UC Irvine This Weekend
4/9/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 9, 2008
LONG BEACH--The No. 16-ranked Dirtbags (18-12, 1-2 Big West) finally return home this Friday to begin a four-game home stand and key conference match up with area rival UC Irvine. LBSU, which went through a 1-9 road trip the past two weeks, return to the friendly confines, where The Beach is 12-3.
The home stand begins with a three-game series with No. 7-ranked UC Irvine (21-5, 3-3 Big West), starting on Friday at 6:30 p.m. and continuing on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Prior to Sunday's first pitch, LBSU will honor the 1998 College World Series team in a pre-game ceremony. The home stand concludes with Pepperdine on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., the 50th Anniversary of the first college game at Blair Field.
The rotation for the Black and Blue Rivaly Series has already been set with RHP Andrew Liebel (3-1, 1.93) matching up with RHP Scott Gorgen in maybe the nation's best game on Friday night at 6:30 p.m., followed by RHP Vance Worley (3-2, 4.28) and RHP Jake Thompson (1-3, 4.75) on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. UCI will counter with Bryce Stowell (4-1, 1.96) and Daniel Bibona (4-1, 3.15). Sunday's game will be nationally televised on CBS College Sports Network (formerly CSTV) with Austin native Carter Blackburn and World Series shortstop Kevin Stocker calling the game.
Last year's series went to the Anteaters in Irvine, after the Dirtbags won the previous four series.
This weekend's match up features the top two pitching staffs in the Big West, and the nation. As UCI has an ERA of 2.57, while the Dirtbags have a staff ERA of 3.29. Gorgen also leads the Big West in strikeouts, while Liebel is second. UCI has the second lowest ERA in the nation, LBSU the sixth.
Shane Peterson and Jason Corder each lead the league in RBIs with 31 for LBSU, while Corder also leads the pack in home runs (8) after hitting two on Tuesday. Corder is batting a team-best .365, while Peterson checks in at .351.
UCI has won five of their last eight and are led by 1B Jeff Cusick's .407 average. IF Ryan Fisher has a team-best 28 RBIs and is batting .351, while OF Ollie Linton is batting .343. Linton is also UCI's all-time stolen base leader, breaking the record last week, leading the nation in steals. UCI beat UCLA on Tuesday 6-5 in extra innings.
On Tuesday, April 15, the Dirtbags will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the first college game at Blair Field between Long Beach State and Long Beach City College. Coach John McConnell and all-conference third baseman Jack Brick will be on hand for the 1958 Forty-Niners, while the family of the late LBCC Coach Joe Hicks, his son Tom and wife Joyce, will represent the Vikings.
With former walk-on Carlos Muniz being called up the Mets this week, the Dirtbags now have nine players in the Majors this season, starting with veterans Steve Trachsel (Orioles), Chris Gomez (Pirates) and Jason Giambi (Yankees) and continuing with Bobby Crosby (A's), Jered Weaver (Angels), Paul McAnulty (Padres) and Troy Tulowitzki (Rockies).
