Friday, March 8
Long Beach, Calif.
6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

vs

TCU

2019_02_23_Luttrell_Chase_vs_NV_001
Photo by: John Fajardo

Dirtbags Continue Challenging Slate This Weekend vs. No. 23 TCU

3/7/2019 3:59:00 PM | Baseball

Long Beach State will look to build on the momentum from its 8-7 win over No. 16 Michigan on Tuesday night, welcoming in another ranked opponent to Bohl Diamond at Blair Field. The Dirtbags will entertain No. 23 TCU this weekend, beginning with the series opener at 6 p.m. on Friday.

Friday, March 8
Long Beach State vs. No. 23 TCU
Time: 
6 p.m.
Location: Bohl Diamond at Blair Field
Watch: Beach Vision | Listen: 22 West Radio | Live Stats
 
Saturday, March 9
Long Beach State vs. No. 23 TCU
Time: 
6 p.m.
Location: Bohl Diamond at Blair Field
Watch: Beach Vision | Listen: 22 West Radio | Live Stats
 
Sunday, March 10
Long Beach State vs. No. 23 TCU
Time: 
1 p.m.
Location: Bohl Diamond at Blair Field
Watch: Beach Vision | Listen: 22 West Radio | Live Stats
 
 
LAST TIME OUT
•   Long Beach State finally broke through for its first win of the season in an 8-7 victory over No. 16 Michigan on Tuesday afternoon. LBSU was playing its seventh game against a nationally-ranked opponent this season, and was able to hold on late for an exciting win. LBSU scored six runs in the third inning, more than the team had scored in any full game this season to pick up the win over the Wolverines.
•   Sophomore LHP Basilio Pacheco pitched well in his 5.0 innings of work to earn the win. He has not allowed an earned run in his two starts this season and his only blemish on Tuesday was an unearned run allowed in the top of the first inning.
•   Three players had two hits and two RBIs for the Dirtbags on Tuesday, as Jacob Hughey, Tyler Porter and Tanner Carlson each broke out to help the team have its best output of hits (11) and runs (8) of the year. Catcher Cole Joy also added a two-run double in the six-run third inning, and also had a key caught stealing to help save the game in the ninth inning.
 
SCOUTING THE HORNED FROGS
•   TCU has played quality competition so far this season, even scoring a win over No. 1 Vanderbilt, 10-2, back on Feb. 17 in Arizona. After going 1-2 at the Shriners Baseball Classic in Houston over the weekend, the Horned Frogs demolished Stephen F. Austin by a score of 19-3 on Tuesday.
•   Junior 1B Jake Guenther is batting a blistering .417 to lead the offense, and also has a pair of home runs with a team-leading 14 RBIs. Junior C Alex Isola leads the team with a .724 slugging percentage thanks to his team-best three home runs in just 29 at-bats. Seven players with at least 10 at-bats on the season are hitting above .300 for TCU.
•   The expected weekend starters for the Horned Frogs this weekend have all put up solid numbers, with junior RHP Jake Eissler expected to make his first start of the season. He is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA out of the bullpen, LHP Brandon Williamson has a sub-2.00 ERA and LHP Nick Lodolo has 25 strikeouts in just 19.0 innings pitched this season.
•   This is the third straight season that Long Beach State and TCU have faced off. LBSU defeating the then-No. 3 Horned Frogs 7-0 at Blair Field on Mar. 14, 2017. The teams played a three-game series in Fort Worth last season with the Dirtbags winning game one and TCU winning the final two contests. Long Beach State leads the all-time series with TCU, 5-2.
 
LIFE IN THE FAST LAINE
•   Senior Laine Huffman has had a hot bat lately and is riding a five-game hitting streak for the Dirtbags. Huffman was injured in the first game of the TCU series last season, and missed most of the 2018 season.
•   Huffman made his first career start at second base in game one of the series at No. 10 Ole Miss. He recorded two hits in each of the three games, going 6-for-9 for the series.  He has been utilized primarily as the DH for LBSU and is tied for the team lead with eight base hits in just 20 at-bats.
 
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.
 
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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