Record Crowd Sees Dirtbag Home Opener

Saturday, February 21

Long Beach, Calif.

5:00 PM

Long Beach State University

0-2

USC

2-0

USC

Long Beach State

Jake Thompson pitched seven scoreless innings Saturday.

2/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

Feb. 21, 2009

Box Score

Long Beach, Calif. - Playing in front of a packed house, sophomore Jake Thompson and outstanding defense kept the Dirtbags in a tight matchup against USC, but the Trojans scored four runs in the eighth to spoil the Long Beach State home opener 4-0.

Thompson was outstanding for Long Beach State, throwing seven scoreless innings while allowing just three hits and striking out five. However, he was matched by USC's Kevin Couture, who also went seven while allowing two hits and striking out ten.

The Dirtbags were also helped out by the defense, as Jordan Casas made the catch of the night in right field, making full extension before crashing into the way to stop a potential rally in the second. Derek Legg and Devin Lohman paired up to turn a solid double play which erased a leadoff walk in the fourth inning for USC.

Playing in front of a record crowd at Blair Field of 3,342, the Dirtbags' best chance to break the tie was in the seventh inning, as Lohman led off the frame with a walk. Taylor Krick moved him over with a bunt, and then Matt Avery was hit with a pitch to put two runners on with one out. Couture rebounded with a strikeout of Rylan Sandoval, and John Hill's fly into shallow right field was just in the reach of a Trojan glove to keep the game tied.

With Thompson out of the game, Manny McElroy entered and walked the first two batters he faced. The Trojans used that momentum to pick up four runs on three additional hits, and the 49ers were unable to mount any additional threat.

The series concludes tomorrow back at Dedeaux field, where the Dirtbags will face the Trojans with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. Andrew Gagnon is set to take the mound for Long Beach State, and will face Anthony Vasquez of USC.