Long Beach State University Athletics
Long Beach State University
37-19, 0
Cal State Fullerton
37-19, 0
Dirtbags Get Automatic Berth with Series Win
5/25/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 25, 2008
LONG BEACH-- Vance Worley (7-3) pitched a complete game eight-hitter, as No. 18-ranked Long Beach State (37-19, 16-8 Big West) scored in six-straight innings and earned the automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament after taking two of three from No. 8-ranked CS Fullerton (37-19, 16-8 Big West), 12-3 on Sunday afternoon.
It is LBSU's first conference title since 2003 and eighth conference title since 1989, as they share the title with CS Fullerton
The Dirtbags will host their fifth NCAA post-season playoff starting next Friday with tickets going on sale on Monday at 10 a.m. via the website at longbeachstate.com and in person on Tuesday at 10 a.m.
Worley, who had to return to the mound after a 22-minute delay, gave up two runs in the fifth and then retired 11 in a row before walking the leadoff batter and loading the bases in the ninth. Worley's sixth strikeout, and only walk came in the ninth, as pinch-hitter Tony Harkety struck out to end the regular season for the Titans.
For LBSU, senior Jason Tweedy, playing in his final regular season home game, drove in runs in three separate innings, falling a double short of the cycle, while fellow senior Jason Corder drove in two runs and senior Brandon Godfrey added two hits and two RBIs.
Danny Espinosa made two sparking plays at short today, one robbing Brian Wilson of a single with a snag on a line drive drive in the sixth.
LBSU sent 10 men to the plate in the third to break open the game and lead 6-1. Corder's two-run double broke up the 1-1 tie, before Shane Peterson's double up the middle made it 4-1. A sacrifice fly followed by a Tweedy RBI triple made it 6-1.
Eleven-game winner Cory Abriso (11-3) went just 2.2 innings for Fullerton to take the loss, giving up the first six runs on six hits.
LBSU then scored another time in the fourth and three more runs in the fifth, following a 22-minute delay after home plate umpire Ruben Chavira was hit in the mask with a foul ball. LBSU's 10-3 lead and three-run fifth was ignited by Tweedy's second home run to lead off the inning.
The 2601 fans today gave the series 7790 fans for the three-game weekend, the second-highest series crowd in LBSU history.
The 64-team bracket will be announced at 9:30 a.m. on ESPN with next week's Regionals beginning on Friday. Online tickets will go on sale on Monday at 10 a.m. with the Walter Pyramid Box Office opening on Tuesday at 10 a.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Worley, Vance (7-3)
L: Arbiso, Cory (11-3)
Batting:
HR: Fellhauer, Josh 1
RBI: Fellhauer, Josh 2 ; Weeks, Joel 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Fellhauer, Josh 1 ; Brown, Gary 1 ; Scott, Joe 1
SB: Brown, Gary 1
Batting:
2B: Jones, Jonathan 1 ; Corder, Jason 1 ; Peterson, Shane 1 ; Godfrey, Brandon 1 ; Mittelstaedt, TJ 1
3B: Tweedy, Jason 1
HR: Tweedy, Jason 1
RBI: Jones, Jonathan 1 ; Corder, Jason 2 ; Peterson, Shane 2 ; Godfrey, Brandon 2 ; Tweedy, Jason 3 ; Mittelstaedt, TJ 2
SH: Casas, Jordan 1 ; Howell, Travis 1
SF: Godfrey, Brandon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jones, Jonathan 2 ; Casas, Jordan 1 ; Corder, Jason 2 ; Peterson, Shane 1 ; Espinosa, Danny 1 ; Godfrey, Brandon 2 ; Tweedy, Jason 1 ; Howell, Travis 1 ; Mittelstaedt, TJ 1
HBP: Peterson, Shane 1
