Tuesday, February 19
Long Beach, Calif.
6 p.m.
Long Beach State University
vs
San Diego
Photo by: John Fajardo
Opening Night on Bohl Diamond as Dirtbags Host San Diego
2/19/2019 11:25:00 AM | Baseball
Long Beach State begins its 2019 home schedule tonight against the Toreros of San Diego with a 6 p.m. first pitch at Blair Field. Former Dirtbag and retired Seattle Mariners catcher Mike Marjama will be on hand to throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game.
Tuesday, February 19
Long Beach State vs. San Diego
Time:Â 6 p.m.
Location: Bohl Diamond at Blair Field
Beach Vision Live Stream | Listen: 22 West Radio | Live Stats
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Probable Pitching Matchup:
LBSU – LHP Basilio Pacheco (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
vs.
USD – RHP Jake Miller (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
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LAST TIME OUT
•  Long Beach State went 0-3 on opening weekend on the road at No. 3 Florida. The Dirtbags played better in each game of the series, but were unable to come up with enough big hits to snag a victory against the Gators.
•  A total of 15 Dirtbags made their debuts for Long Beach State over the weekend. Junior Aidan Malm was among those making the biggest impact, going 3-for-9 for the series with a pair of RBIs, including a solo home run to put the Dirtbags on top in the second inning on Sunday.
•  Long Beach State worked an impressive nine walks in the season opener, led by three from sophomore catcher Chris Jimenez. Even with a rest day on Sunday, Jimenez has already drawn five walks this season and is 1-for-3 at the plate for a .750 on-base percentage after opening weekend.
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SCOUTING THE TOREROS
•  San Diego opened the season with a dominant sweep of Wagner over the weekend. USD hit .382 as a team to sweep the series by a combined score of 32-10.
•  Offensively, 11 players had multiple hits over the weekend, and 12 players had at least one RBI. Ripken Reyes drove in a team-best seven runs and Tora Otsuka had six hits in 12 at-bats, including a home run and 4 RBIs. Adam Kerner hit .455 in three games, scoring a team-best six runs.
•  Tuesday's probable starter, freshman Jake Miller, pitched two scoreless innings for San Diego over the weekend, allowing just a walk while striking out a pair.
•  Long Beach State leads the all-time series with San Diego 40-35-1. The last meeting between these teams was a 10-inning tie, 9-9, on May 2, 2017 in San Diego. That is the only tie game for Long Beach State since the 1998 season.
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LOOK WHO'S BACK
•  Last season's primary Friday starter Zak Baayoun returns for his junior season after earning Second Team All-Big West recognition last year. Baayoun opened the year with 12 strikeouts in an Opening Night win over St. Mary's in his first career start, and ended up winning nine games for LBSU as a full-time starter.
•  Sophomore southpaw Adam Seminaris was used in a dual role as a midweek starter and reliever during his freshman campaign, making 10 starts and 11 relief appearances in 2018, posting a 4.84 ERA in 57.2 innings. The only other returning pitcher with relief experience last season is junior RHP Dylan Spacke, who was mostly a setup man but also earned LBSU's last three saves of the season, with 43 K's in 35.2 IP and a 4.54 ERA.
•  Offensively, CF Brooks Stotler has plenty of experience with 130 games played in his career and will be looking to take the next step at the plate this season. DH Luke Rasmussen is back for his redshirt senior season and will look to shake off his injury to return to his status as a power hitter and run producer for the Beach. Senior SS Laine Huffman also missed most of last season with injury and will be a leader for the Dirtbags upon his return to the lineup. Sophomore C Chris Jimenez made 54 starts last season as a backstop (49 starts) and at third base (5 starts), leading the team with 32 RBIs.
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LB IN MLB
•  Long Beach State had more former players in the big leagues than any other college or university from 2010-17, with 13 MLB representatives in 2018, again placing the Dirtbags among the nation's leaders.
• Three Dirtbags made their MLB debuts last season, all in the span of two weeks. RHP Drew Gagnon debuted for the Mets on July 10, followed by infielder Garrett Hampson's debut on July 21 for the Rockies and INF Jeff McNeil on July 24 for the Mets.
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Long Beach State vs. San Diego
Time:Â 6 p.m.
Location: Bohl Diamond at Blair Field
Beach Vision Live Stream | Listen: 22 West Radio | Live Stats
Â
Probable Pitching Matchup:
LBSU – LHP Basilio Pacheco (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
vs.
USD – RHP Jake Miller (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Â
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LAST TIME OUT
•  Long Beach State went 0-3 on opening weekend on the road at No. 3 Florida. The Dirtbags played better in each game of the series, but were unable to come up with enough big hits to snag a victory against the Gators.
•  A total of 15 Dirtbags made their debuts for Long Beach State over the weekend. Junior Aidan Malm was among those making the biggest impact, going 3-for-9 for the series with a pair of RBIs, including a solo home run to put the Dirtbags on top in the second inning on Sunday.
•  Long Beach State worked an impressive nine walks in the season opener, led by three from sophomore catcher Chris Jimenez. Even with a rest day on Sunday, Jimenez has already drawn five walks this season and is 1-for-3 at the plate for a .750 on-base percentage after opening weekend.
Â
SCOUTING THE TOREROS
•  San Diego opened the season with a dominant sweep of Wagner over the weekend. USD hit .382 as a team to sweep the series by a combined score of 32-10.
•  Offensively, 11 players had multiple hits over the weekend, and 12 players had at least one RBI. Ripken Reyes drove in a team-best seven runs and Tora Otsuka had six hits in 12 at-bats, including a home run and 4 RBIs. Adam Kerner hit .455 in three games, scoring a team-best six runs.
•  Tuesday's probable starter, freshman Jake Miller, pitched two scoreless innings for San Diego over the weekend, allowing just a walk while striking out a pair.
•  Long Beach State leads the all-time series with San Diego 40-35-1. The last meeting between these teams was a 10-inning tie, 9-9, on May 2, 2017 in San Diego. That is the only tie game for Long Beach State since the 1998 season.
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LOOK WHO'S BACK
•  Last season's primary Friday starter Zak Baayoun returns for his junior season after earning Second Team All-Big West recognition last year. Baayoun opened the year with 12 strikeouts in an Opening Night win over St. Mary's in his first career start, and ended up winning nine games for LBSU as a full-time starter.
•  Sophomore southpaw Adam Seminaris was used in a dual role as a midweek starter and reliever during his freshman campaign, making 10 starts and 11 relief appearances in 2018, posting a 4.84 ERA in 57.2 innings. The only other returning pitcher with relief experience last season is junior RHP Dylan Spacke, who was mostly a setup man but also earned LBSU's last three saves of the season, with 43 K's in 35.2 IP and a 4.54 ERA.
•  Offensively, CF Brooks Stotler has plenty of experience with 130 games played in his career and will be looking to take the next step at the plate this season. DH Luke Rasmussen is back for his redshirt senior season and will look to shake off his injury to return to his status as a power hitter and run producer for the Beach. Senior SS Laine Huffman also missed most of last season with injury and will be a leader for the Dirtbags upon his return to the lineup. Sophomore C Chris Jimenez made 54 starts last season as a backstop (49 starts) and at third base (5 starts), leading the team with 32 RBIs.
Â
LB IN MLB
•  Long Beach State had more former players in the big leagues than any other college or university from 2010-17, with 13 MLB representatives in 2018, again placing the Dirtbags among the nation's leaders.
• Three Dirtbags made their MLB debuts last season, all in the span of two weeks. RHP Drew Gagnon debuted for the Mets on July 10, followed by infielder Garrett Hampson's debut on July 21 for the Rockies and INF Jeff McNeil on July 24 for the Mets.
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Players Mentioned
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