Dirtbags Host First Big West Home Series vs. CSUN

Friday, April 12
Long Beach State vs. CSUN
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Bohl Diamond at Blair Field
Watch: Beach Vision | Listen: 22 West Radio | Live Stats

Saturday, April 13
Long Beach State vs. CSUN
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Bohl Diamond at Blair Field
Watch: Beach Vision | Listen: 22 West Radio | Live Stats

Sunday, April 14
Long Beach State vs. CSUN
Time: 1 p.m.
Location: Bohl Diamond at Blair Field
Watch: Beach Vision | Listen: 22 West Radio | Live Stats

LAST TIME OUT
•   LBSU won its second straight midweek game on the road, closing out a stretch of eighth straight games away from home with a 5-4 win over San Diego. The Dirtbags avenged a 4-0 loss from back in February by taking a 5-0 lead on the Toreros after three innings and holding on for the win.
•   Freshman starter Alfredo Ruiz earned his first career win after tossing 5.0 strong innings against USD. He allowed two runs on just three hits while completing his longest career start. At the back end of the game, senior John Sheaks picked up his first career save by recording the final four outs.
•   Junior catcher Cole Joy got the start behind the plate and had a pair of hits, including a two-run single to cap the scoring for the Dirtbags in a three-run third inning. Joy is one of three Dirtbags who have made eight or more starts behind the plate this season.
•   Junior 1B Jacob Hughey got the Dirtbags on the board with a first-inning RBI double. He increased his team lead in RBIs with his 15th of the year, and he continued his solid run over his last five starts. During that stretch, Hughey is 8-for-19 (.421) with three multi-hit games, three runs scored and an RBI.

SCOUTING THE MATADORS
•   CSUN snapped a four-game skid with a sweep of UC Riverside last weekend, outscoring the Highlanders 50-12 in the three-game sweep. The Matadors were swept at Cal Poly in their opening Big West series, and have pretty distinct home/road splits. The Matadors are 13-7 at home but just 2-10 on the road, with a current eight-game losing streak away from Northridge.
•   Senior 2B Kyle Barret is hitting .347 to pace the CSUN offense, with a team-high 17 extra-base hits including 12 doubles and three home runs. Sophomore SS Brandon Bohning is the team leader in home runs (5), RBIs (21) and stolen bases (11) and is also one of six batters hitting .270 or better for the Matadors.
•   The CSUN pitching rotation has been solid, led by Friday starter Wesley Moore who is 4-2 with a 2.76 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 49.0 innings. Fellow southpaw Isaiah Nunez has a 5-3 record with a 3.17 ERA. In the bullpen, sophomore closer Blake Schriever has seven saves for the Matadors, posting a 3.08 ERA in 16 appearances with 25 strikeouts in 26.1 innings.
•   Long Beach State won the series at CSUN last year, winning games one and two against the Matadors. LBSU is 82-63 all-time against CSUN and has won every head-to-head series during the Troy Buckley era. The Dirtbags have not lost a home series to the Matadors since the 2001 season.

FACING THE BEST
•   Long Beach State has certainly been challenged so far this season, with nine of its 13 opponents appearing the national rankings at some point during the season, and seven of those opponents holding a ranking when they played the Dirtbags.
•   The Dirtbags had a stretch of eight straight games against nationally-ranked teams earlier in the year, going 2-6 in those contests. Three of Long Beach State's five wins have been against ranked teams and LBSU has played 15 games against Top 25 competition.

SPREADING THE LOVE
•   A total of 21 position players have appeared in multiple games for the Dirtbags this season, with 18 making five or more starts and getting 16 or more at-bats.
•   Only freshman infielder Tyler Porter has played in all 31 games this season for the Dirtbags, making 29 starts.
•   With a group of pitchers returning from injury, the pitching staff has had its fair share of fluidity as well. Eight different pitchers have picked up a start for Long Beach State this season with six of them earning three or more starts.

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.
•   The 2019 MLB season got underway with 10 former Dirtbags featured on Opening Day rosters to start the year: Troy Tulowitzki (Yankees), Evan Longoria (Giants), Jason Vargas (Mets), Bryan Shaw (Rockies), Nick Vincent (Giants), Marco Estrada (A's), Jared Hughes (Reds), Matt Duffy (Rays), Shane Carle (Braves), Garrett Hampson (Rockies), and Jeff McNeil (Mets).
•   Long Beach State also has representation among the coaching ranks as former players Brandon Hyde and Jeremy Reed are in their first years serving key roles in their respective dugouts. Hyde is the manager of the Baltimore Orioles and Reed is the hitting coach for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

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Players Mentioned

Jacob Hughey

Cole Joy

Tyler Porter

Alfredo Ruiz

John Sheaks

Long Beach State University Athletics