Long Beach State University Athletics
Dirtbags head to LMU, host Cal this week
2/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 24, 2009
Long Beach, Calif. -
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Leading Off
Long Beach State heads into the second week of the season with a midweek matchup with LMU starting off the week. The two teams will meet on Wednesday, with left-hander Adam Wilk scheduled to pitch for the Dirtbags, while LMU counters with a staff day. The Dirtbags will then host their first full series at Blair Field, welcoming in another Pac-10 opponent in Cal, matching up two participants from last year's NCAA regional hosted at Blair Field.
The Trojan War
The 2009 season started with a traditional split series with USC, as the Trojans hosted two games at Dedeaux Field while The Beach brought USC in for one game. Pitching dominated the first two contests, as USC's Brad Boxberger and Kevin Couture along with Jake Thompson for the Dirtbags put together great starts. USC took the first two games, but Long Beach State grabbed the finale, coming from behind by pushing a run across in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.
What's Coming Up?
Looking ahead, Long Beach State has their biggest road trip of the year following this week, travelling to Columbia, S.C. to take on the Gamecocks in South Carolina. The Dirtbags will be the first West Coast team to play in the new Carolina stadium, with a capacity of 9,000. The Dirtbags will then return home for a five-game homestand, with mid-week games against San Diego and LMU along with a three-game weekend series with their third Pac-10 opponent, Washington State.
Scouting LMU
Loyola Marymount begins the season with a very busy week, playing six games in six days to open the year. The Lions started out the season by playing a four-game series with Utah, beginning the year 3-1 as the Lions outlasted Utah in 11 innings in the opener, split a doubleheader on Saturday and clinched the series on Sunday. Ryan Wheeler led the way offensively for the Lions in that series, hitting .500 with two doubles and a triple.
Long Beach State vs. the Lions
The proximity of LMU has made the Lions one of Long Beach State's most common opponents, despite the team's not being in the same conference Long Beach State holds a 78-43-2 overall lead in the all-time series, and has a 31-11 lead in the Dirtbag's favor. In 2008, Long Beach State split with the Lions, winning a 5-2 contest at Blair Field before falling at Page Field 7-3.
Scouting Cal
Cal starts off 2009 with two series with Big West teams, and dropped the first in a weekend date with UC Riverside, winning the first game before losing the next two. Dylan Tonneson was the top hitter for the Bears in the first weekend, picking up five hits against the Highlanders. Michael Brady and Jeff Kobernus each added 3 RBI for Cal.
Long Beach State vs. the Bears
Long Beach State trails by one game in the all-time series with Cal, 28-29, though the Dirtbags came one game closer last year in the playoffs. Long Beach State was swept in a three game series at Cal in 2008, but came back and eliminated the Bears in 2008 NCAA Regionals hosted at Blair last season.
Back At Ya
The 2009 Dirtbags will be looking at their three returning starters to lead the way for a solid but inexperienced ballclub. Sophomore Jonathan Jones played a big part in last year's success, hitting .343 and starting in 43 games after stepping in for the injured Chris Nelson. Steve Tinoco, who had most of his action in the outfield in 2008 is making the move to first base, while Jake Thompson, the team's freshman Sunday pitcher is being asked to take the Friday night ace's role.
