Tuesday, April 11
Fresno, Calif.
6:05 p.m.
Long Beach State University
at
Fresno State
Photo by: John Fajardo
Dirtbags Set for Midweek Matchup at Fresno State
4/10/2023 4:28:00 PM | Baseball
Long Beach State will play their second game with the Bulldogs this season.
LONG BEACH, Calif. – Long Beach State heads north for a Tuesday night battle at Fresno State. It is the second meeting between the programs this season with the Dirtbags winning the first matchup at Blair.
Long Beach State (20-10) at Fresno State (15-15)
Tuesday, April 11
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Fresno, Calif.
Pitching Matchup: Sky Wells (LBSU) vs. Jaykob Acosta (FS)
Live Stats | Watch
ABOUT THE 'BAGS
• The Dirtbags enter the week as winners in 10 of their last 12 games after taking two of three at UC Irvine last weekend. They own a 20-10 overall record and sit in third in the Big West standings at 8-4.
• The offense owns a .270/.353/.441 slash line with 201 runs in their 30 games. Of the team's 283 hits, 101 have gone for extra bases, including 33 home runs which ranks second-most in the Big West.
• The pitching staff now owns a 4.21 team ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. In 271.1 innings pitched, they have racked up a Big West leading 298 strikeouts compared to 106 walks.
WINNING WAYS
• After being swept by UC San Diego in their conference opening series, the Dirtbags have rattled off 10 wins in their last 10 games and eight of their nine Big West games in that time.
• In that span, they posted an eight-game win streak overall which ranks the longest of the Valenzuela Era and longest since 2017. They also won eight consecutive conference matchups, the longest streak since 2007.
• Statistically, Long Beach has hit .285/.355/.468 averaging 7.25 runs per game and have pitched to a 3.46 team ERA and a 1.39 WHIP in the last 12 games.
FLAIR FOR THE DRAMATIC
• The Dirtbags have played 10 games this season where the outcome was decided in the final at-bat of the game. They own a 6-4 record in those games. Of the six, four have led to walkoff victories including three walkoff home runs.
• Since hitting coach Bryan Peters came over with Coach Valenzuela, Long Beach State has launched six walkoff home runs at Blair. The first of the trio this season came on opening weekend from Rocco Peppi. The other two came two weeks ago from Jonathon Long.
THE WIN STREAK
• Long Beach State won eight consecutive games over the two weeks from March 22 to April 2. While the streak was ended by No. 22 UCLA, it still goes down as the longest since the team won eight straight since the 2017 season. It is also the longest streak of the Valenzuela Era.
• The longest win streak in program history is a 15-game win streak during the 1989 season when the Dirtbags made their first ever College World Series appearance.
BATTLE AT THE BIG A
• Last Thursday, in collaboration with USC, the Dirtbags announced the Tuesday, May 2 midweek game with the Trojans will be played at Angel Stadium in Anaheim.
• This will be the fourth time in program history, Long Beach State will play in a big league park having previously played in Seattle, San Francisco, and San Diego.
IN THE NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS
• The Dirtbags' eight-game win streak bumped them up all over the NCAA stat rankings, especially on the pitching side of things.
• Currently, they rank in the nations' Top 50 with three shutouts (17th), 2.97 strikeout-to-walk ratio (19th), 3.45 walks per nine (3.45), 4.18 ERA (28th), 1.33 WHIP (35th), and 10.2 strikeouts per nine (41st).
• Offensively, they rank 18th with 18 sacrifice flies, 46th with 15 sacrifice bunts, 95th with 1.22 home runs per game, and 96th with 33 total home runs. They also rank 58th in fielding percentage with a .976 mark.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
• Fresno State enters the week with a 15-15 overall mark, but have lost five straight since winning a series against UC Santa Barbara. The Dirtbags won the first meeting this season, 10-6, at Blair three weeks ago.
• The offense is slashing .245/.324/.352 on the year with 17 home runs and 120 RBI. Of the team's 139 hits, 65 have gone for extra bases and they are averaging 4.63 runs per game.
• The pitching staff owns a 4.97 team ERA with a 1.40 WHIP. In their 266 innings of work, they have totaled 267 strikeouts compared to 92 walks.
AGAINST THE OPPONENT
• Long Beach State and Fresno State have played 124 ballgames against each other, including one this year. In the all-time series, Long Beach State trails the all-time series 54-67-2 and are 21-41 when playing in Fresno.but are 19-18-1 in the Dirtbag era.
• Since 1989, the Dirtbags are 19-18-1 and are 2-1 in the Valenzuela Era after winning earlier this season, 10-6.
BAGS IN THE BIGS
• Major League Baseball celebrated Opening Day on Thursday and with that, three Dirtbag alum have started the 2023 campaign in the big leagues.
• Evan Longoria is the longest tenured alum active in the big leagues as he begins his 16th season, but with a new ballclub in the Arizona Diamondbacks. Matt Duffy is set for his eighth season on his fifth different team after joining the Kansas City Royals in the offseason. The third and final Dirtbag in the league is Jeff McNeil, who is coming off a batting title and new four-year contract with the New York Mets.
Long Beach State (20-10) at Fresno State (15-15)
Tuesday, April 11
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Fresno, Calif.
Pitching Matchup: Sky Wells (LBSU) vs. Jaykob Acosta (FS)
Live Stats | Watch
ABOUT THE 'BAGS
• The Dirtbags enter the week as winners in 10 of their last 12 games after taking two of three at UC Irvine last weekend. They own a 20-10 overall record and sit in third in the Big West standings at 8-4.
• The offense owns a .270/.353/.441 slash line with 201 runs in their 30 games. Of the team's 283 hits, 101 have gone for extra bases, including 33 home runs which ranks second-most in the Big West.
• The pitching staff now owns a 4.21 team ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. In 271.1 innings pitched, they have racked up a Big West leading 298 strikeouts compared to 106 walks.
WINNING WAYS
• After being swept by UC San Diego in their conference opening series, the Dirtbags have rattled off 10 wins in their last 10 games and eight of their nine Big West games in that time.
• In that span, they posted an eight-game win streak overall which ranks the longest of the Valenzuela Era and longest since 2017. They also won eight consecutive conference matchups, the longest streak since 2007.
• Statistically, Long Beach has hit .285/.355/.468 averaging 7.25 runs per game and have pitched to a 3.46 team ERA and a 1.39 WHIP in the last 12 games.
FLAIR FOR THE DRAMATIC
• The Dirtbags have played 10 games this season where the outcome was decided in the final at-bat of the game. They own a 6-4 record in those games. Of the six, four have led to walkoff victories including three walkoff home runs.
• Since hitting coach Bryan Peters came over with Coach Valenzuela, Long Beach State has launched six walkoff home runs at Blair. The first of the trio this season came on opening weekend from Rocco Peppi. The other two came two weeks ago from Jonathon Long.
THE WIN STREAK
• Long Beach State won eight consecutive games over the two weeks from March 22 to April 2. While the streak was ended by No. 22 UCLA, it still goes down as the longest since the team won eight straight since the 2017 season. It is also the longest streak of the Valenzuela Era.
• The longest win streak in program history is a 15-game win streak during the 1989 season when the Dirtbags made their first ever College World Series appearance.
BATTLE AT THE BIG A
• Last Thursday, in collaboration with USC, the Dirtbags announced the Tuesday, May 2 midweek game with the Trojans will be played at Angel Stadium in Anaheim.
• This will be the fourth time in program history, Long Beach State will play in a big league park having previously played in Seattle, San Francisco, and San Diego.
IN THE NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS
• The Dirtbags' eight-game win streak bumped them up all over the NCAA stat rankings, especially on the pitching side of things.
• Currently, they rank in the nations' Top 50 with three shutouts (17th), 2.97 strikeout-to-walk ratio (19th), 3.45 walks per nine (3.45), 4.18 ERA (28th), 1.33 WHIP (35th), and 10.2 strikeouts per nine (41st).
• Offensively, they rank 18th with 18 sacrifice flies, 46th with 15 sacrifice bunts, 95th with 1.22 home runs per game, and 96th with 33 total home runs. They also rank 58th in fielding percentage with a .976 mark.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
• Fresno State enters the week with a 15-15 overall mark, but have lost five straight since winning a series against UC Santa Barbara. The Dirtbags won the first meeting this season, 10-6, at Blair three weeks ago.
• The offense is slashing .245/.324/.352 on the year with 17 home runs and 120 RBI. Of the team's 139 hits, 65 have gone for extra bases and they are averaging 4.63 runs per game.
• The pitching staff owns a 4.97 team ERA with a 1.40 WHIP. In their 266 innings of work, they have totaled 267 strikeouts compared to 92 walks.
AGAINST THE OPPONENT
• Long Beach State and Fresno State have played 124 ballgames against each other, including one this year. In the all-time series, Long Beach State trails the all-time series 54-67-2 and are 21-41 when playing in Fresno.but are 19-18-1 in the Dirtbag era.
• Since 1989, the Dirtbags are 19-18-1 and are 2-1 in the Valenzuela Era after winning earlier this season, 10-6.
BAGS IN THE BIGS
• Major League Baseball celebrated Opening Day on Thursday and with that, three Dirtbag alum have started the 2023 campaign in the big leagues.
• Evan Longoria is the longest tenured alum active in the big leagues as he begins his 16th season, but with a new ballclub in the Arizona Diamondbacks. Matt Duffy is set for his eighth season on his fifth different team after joining the Kansas City Royals in the offseason. The third and final Dirtbag in the league is Jeff McNeil, who is coming off a batting title and new four-year contract with the New York Mets.
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