Friday, February 22
Long Beach, Calif.
6 p.m.
Long Beach State University
vs
Nevada
Photo by: DakotaWilliams
Long Beach State Hosts Nevada for Three-Game Set This Weekend
2/21/2019 10:44:00 PM | Baseball
The Dirtbags are at home this weekend hosting Nevada for a three-game series. The Wolf Pack are led by former Dirtbags TJ Bruce (head coach) and Abe Alvarez (volunteer assistant coach) in what will be a homecoming of sorts at Blair Field.
Friday, February 22
Long Beach State vs. Nevada
Time:Â 6 p.m.
Location: Bohl Diamond at Blair Field
Watch: Beach Vision | Listen: 22 West Radio |Â Live Stats
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Saturday, February 23
Long Beach State vs. Nevada
Time:Â 6 p.m.
Location: Bohl Diamond at Blair Field
Watch: Beach Vision | Listen: 22 West Radio |Â Live Stats
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Sunday, February 24
Long Beach State vs. Nevada
Time:Â 1 p.m.
Location: Bohl Diamond at Blair Field
Watch: Beach Vision | Listen: 22 West Radio |Â Live Stats
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LAST TIME OUT
•  LBSU dropped all three games in its opening weekend series at No. 3 Florida, struggling with runners in scoring position all weekend. That continued in a 4-0 loss on Tuesday night against San Diego in the team's home opener. The Dirtbags enter this weekend's series with Nevada due for some run production, going 2-for-32 (.063) with runners in scoring position on the young season.
•  Sophomore SS Santino Rivera leads the Dirtbags offense with a .417 average so far this season to go along with a pair of walks. Junior OF Aidan Malm supplied the power with a solo home run in the Sunday game against Florida and is hitting 333 this year.
•  The Dirtbags bullpen has been a strength this season, posting an 0.73 ERA in 12.1 innings pitched this year. Relievers have combined for 12 strikeouts and have allowed opposing batters to hit just .116 this season.
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SCOUTING THE WOLF PACK
•  Nevada went 2-1 at the Texas State Tournament on opening weekend, including a 16-4 win over No. 24 Missouri State in its season opener. In their most recent contest, the Wolf Pack earned a 5-4 victory at LBSU's Big West rival UC Davis, scoring two runs in the top of the ninth inning to pick up the comeback win.
•  Leadoff man and third baseman Joshua Zamora leads the Nevada offense with a .500 average, four runs scored, three RBIs, a triple and a home run. Right fielder Weston Hatten is hitting .429 with a pair of doubles, boasting a team-leading .579 on-base percentage.
•  Junior LHP Ryan Anderson started on Opening Day and tossed five innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts to beat Missouri State, but freshman RHP Owen Sharts had the best outing so far this season, throwing seven innings of shutout ball against Texas State, allowing just three hits and a walk in the 4-0 win.
•  There will be a homecoming this weekend at Blair Field as Nevada head coach T.J. Bruce (2004) and volunteer assistant coach Abe Alvarez (2001-03) both played at Long Beach State. Long Beach State is 17-15-1 all-time against Nevada, but was swept in its last meeting with the Wolf Pack in Reno during the 2000 season.Â
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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. Nevada
Time:Â 6 p.m.
Location: Bohl Diamond at Blair Field
Watch: Beach Vision | Listen: 22 West Radio |Â Live Stats
Â
Saturday, February 23
Long Beach State vs. Nevada
Time:Â 6 p.m.
Location: Bohl Diamond at Blair Field
Watch: Beach Vision | Listen: 22 West Radio |Â Live Stats
Â
Sunday, February 24
Long Beach State vs. Nevada
Time:Â 1 p.m.
Location: Bohl Diamond at Blair Field
Watch: Beach Vision | Listen: 22 West Radio |Â Live Stats
Â
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LAST TIME OUT
•  LBSU dropped all three games in its opening weekend series at No. 3 Florida, struggling with runners in scoring position all weekend. That continued in a 4-0 loss on Tuesday night against San Diego in the team's home opener. The Dirtbags enter this weekend's series with Nevada due for some run production, going 2-for-32 (.063) with runners in scoring position on the young season.
•  Sophomore SS Santino Rivera leads the Dirtbags offense with a .417 average so far this season to go along with a pair of walks. Junior OF Aidan Malm supplied the power with a solo home run in the Sunday game against Florida and is hitting 333 this year.
•  The Dirtbags bullpen has been a strength this season, posting an 0.73 ERA in 12.1 innings pitched this year. Relievers have combined for 12 strikeouts and have allowed opposing batters to hit just .116 this season.
Â
SCOUTING THE WOLF PACK
•  Nevada went 2-1 at the Texas State Tournament on opening weekend, including a 16-4 win over No. 24 Missouri State in its season opener. In their most recent contest, the Wolf Pack earned a 5-4 victory at LBSU's Big West rival UC Davis, scoring two runs in the top of the ninth inning to pick up the comeback win.
•  Leadoff man and third baseman Joshua Zamora leads the Nevada offense with a .500 average, four runs scored, three RBIs, a triple and a home run. Right fielder Weston Hatten is hitting .429 with a pair of doubles, boasting a team-leading .579 on-base percentage.
•  Junior LHP Ryan Anderson started on Opening Day and tossed five innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts to beat Missouri State, but freshman RHP Owen Sharts had the best outing so far this season, throwing seven innings of shutout ball against Texas State, allowing just three hits and a walk in the 4-0 win.
•  There will be a homecoming this weekend at Blair Field as Nevada head coach T.J. Bruce (2004) and volunteer assistant coach Abe Alvarez (2001-03) both played at Long Beach State. Long Beach State is 17-15-1 all-time against Nevada, but was swept in its last meeting with the Wolf Pack in Reno during the 2000 season.Â
Â
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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