Long Beach State University Athletics
Long Beach State University
21-14, 7-5
UC Riverside
11-26, 1-8
Bats Come Alive For Dirtbags In Rubber Match Win
4/19/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
By: Corey LeVier
LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State (21-14, 7-5 Big West) came out of the gate swinging, producing 10 runs off 15 hits in a 10-1 victory over UC Riverside. The Dirtbags clinched the weekend series with the win.
The 2014 Big West Freshman of the Year Garrett Hampson led the offensive effort with three hits while also scoring two runs. Zack Rivera also had a solid outing, gathering two hits while driving in three runs in the process.
Long Beach started the game on a very commanding note. The Dirtbags threw up four runs in the first to get the game started. Hampson led off the first inning with a line drive single into left center. Tristan Mercadel followed the single with a disciplined at-bat, earning himself a walk. A couple of wild pitches from Angelo Lingos put Hampson and Mercadel in scoring position. Zack Rivera took advantage of those blunders and drove in the first two runs of the game with a thundering double into left center. After a walk issued to Daniel Jackson, Eric Hutting concluded the productive inning with the second two-RBI double of the inning.
The Dirtbags were still hungry for runs in the bottom of the second as Hampson earned his second single of the day with another line drive into left center. Mercadel followed up the line drive with his first hit of the day, a ground ball through the hole into left. An error by Riverside's Vince Fernandez allowed Hampson to easily move to third base on the play. After a stolen base by Mercadel, Brock Lundquist drove in two more runs with a line drive into right center.
Long Beach wasn't finished with their early production as they put up two more runs in the third inning. Jackson started off the inning with a line drive up the middle and later scored off a single by Zack Domingues. Domingues made his way around the bases and score on a wild pitch from Peter Beattie. Hampson also earned his third hit of the game in the same inning.
The fourth inning was just as busy for the Dirtbags as it was through the first three innings. Lundquist led off the fourth with a double and was driven in with a single by Rivera. Rivera then scored his second run of the day off a sacrifice fly to center field by Domingues, who drove in his second RBI of the game.
The Dirtbags offense cooled down for the rest of the game but UCR (11-26, 1-8 Big West) struggled to produce the entire game, scoring their lone run late in the 9th inning off a fielder's choice with the bases loaded. Fernandez had the only hot bat for the Highlanders, going 3-4 with one run.
Aside from today's offense, Freshman Chris Mathewson put his hat in the ring for Big West Pitcher of the Week yet again. Mathewson was again phenomenal, throwing eight shutout innings while only allowing four hits. He also hit a new career high in strikeouts, sitting down 10 UCR batters. With the eight shutout innings, Mathewson ran his scoreless inning streak to 24.
Fellow pitchers Tyler Radcliffe and Logan Lombana worked together in the ninth to solidify the victory for the Dirtbags. Mathewson ran his record to 5-3 on the season while Lingos took the loss, falling to 0-2.
Next, Long Beach State travels to Loyola Marymount on Tuesday before heading up north to San Luis Obispo, Calif. to take on the Mustangs of Cal Poly.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Mathewson, Chris (5-3)
L: Lingos, Angelo (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Fernandez, Vince 1 ; Witt, Robby 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Fernandez, Vince 1
Batting:
2B: Lundquist, Brock 1 ; Rivera, Zack 1 ; Hutting, Eric 1
RBI: Lundquist, Brock 2 ; Rivera, Zack 3 ; Hutting, Eric 2 ; Domingues, Zack 2
SF: Domingues, Zack 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hampson, Garrett 2 ; Mercadel, Tristan 2 ; Lundquist, Brock 1 ; Rivera, Zack 2 ; Jackson, Daniel 2 ; Domingues, Zack 1
SB: Hampson, Garrett 1 ; Mercadel, Tristan 1 ; Lundquist, Brock 1
