Friday, April 21
Manoa, Hawai'i
9:35 p.m.
Long Beach State University
at
Hawai'i
Photo by: John Fajardo
Dirtbags Begin Eight-Game Road Stretch at Hawai’i
4/19/2023 8:50:00 AM | Baseball
Long Beach State will travel to the islands for their next Big West series.
LONG BEACH, Calif. – Long Beach State is heading to Hawai'i for their next weekend of Big West play. The three-game series begins an eight-game road stretch that will close out April and begin the month of May.
Long Beach State (22-12, 9-6 Big West) at Hawai'i (16-13, 6-6 Big West)
Friday, April 21
Time: 9:35 p.m. PT/6:35 p.m. HT
Location: Les Murakami Stadium (Honolul, Hawai'i)
Pitching Matchup: Graham Osman (LBSU) vs. Harry Gustin (UH)
Live Stats | Watch on ESPN+
Saturday, April 22
Time: 9:35 p.m. PT/6:35 p.m. HT
Location: Les Murakami Stadium (Honolul, Hawai'i)
Pitching Matchup: Nico Zeglin (LBSU) vs. Randy Abshier (UH)
Live Stats | Watch on ESPN+
Sunday, April 23
Time: 4:05 p.m. PT/1:05 p.m. HT
Location: Les Murakami Stadium (Honolul, Hawai'i)
Pitching Matchup: Kellan Montgomery (LBSU) vs. TBA (UH)
Live Stats | Watch on ESPN+
ABOUT THE 'BAGS
• The Dirtbags enter the week with a 22-12 overall record and 9-6 mark in conference after losing their weekend series to CSUN last weekend.
• The offense owns a .271/.354/.432 slash line with 225 runs in their 34 games. Of the team's 321 hits, 107 have gone for extra bases, including 39 home runs which ranks second-most in the Big West.
• The pitching staff now owns a 4.45 team ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. In 307.1 innings pitched, they have racked up 340 strikeouts compared to just 116 walks.
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 prior to the 2020 season, 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.
STRIKEOUT MACHINE
• Since Coach Valenzuela took over the program, the pitching staff has been striking people out at record pace posting the highest K/9 in 2021 (9.48) and second highest in 2022 (9.40).
• In 307 innings this year, they have 340 strikeouts which is good for a 10.0 K/9 second in the conference and 43rd in the nation. The staff is punching people out at that pace while also limiting walks, owning the twelfth-best strikeout/walk ratio at 2.93
MIDWEEK MADNESS
• The Dirtbags played another high scoring affair in their midweek at Fresno State last week, topping the Bulldogs 10-7 to complete the season sweep.
• This year, the 'Bags are 4-3 in midweek games averaging over six runs per game. The offense has shined the most posting a .281 average with an .837 team OPS.
• They are scheduled for two more midweek matchups with USC on May 2 and LMU on May 8.
BATTLE AT THE BIG A
• Speaking of USC, the Dirtbags announced the Tuesday, May 2 midweek game with the Trojans will be played at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. First pitch will be at 6pm and tickets will be available at angels.com/dirtbags
• 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.
SCOUTING THE WARRIORS
• Hawaii enters the weekend with a 16-13 overall record and 6-6 mark in conference play. They are coming off a series win over UC San Diego and have won three of their last four games.
• The offense owns a .270/.365/.405 slash line with 180 runs scored in their 29 games played. Of their 180 hits, 84 have gone for extra bases including 21 homers.
• As a staff, the pitching owns a 5.10 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP. In 255.2 innings of work, they own 242 strikeouts compared to 136 walks. Opponents are hitting .274 against them.
AGAINST THE OPPONENT
• Long Beach State and Hawaii has played 35 times in program history with 34 of them coming in the Dirtbag era. LBSU leads the all-time series 23-12 (23-11 since 1989).
• The Dirtbags have won three of the last four which includes a series win in last year's series. Overall when playing on the islands, they have 11 wins in 16 games, but lost three of four their last time out there.
BAGS IN THE BIGS
• Major League Baseball's season is nearly a full month in and currently features five Dirtbag alum across the league. Three of the five appeared on Opening Day rosters with the remaining two already earning a call up from AAA.
• 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.
• Since Opening Day, the duo of Darren McCaughan and Jarren Duran got the call to make them the fourth and fifth Dirtbags in the show this season. Both originally debuted back during the 2021 season.
AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS
• Offensively this season, Jonathon Long leads the Big West in RBI with 37 this season. He also fourth in home runs (9), and fifth in hits (45), slugging percentage (.607), and OPS (1.015). Eddie Saldivar ranks fourth in runs scored (32) and eighth in hits (44). Rocco Peppi is seventh in runs scored with 31.
• On the mound, Nico Zeglin leads the conference with 69 strikeouts, ranks second with a .201 opponent batting average, and fourth with a 2.72 in ERA. Graham Osman is tied for the league lead in both strikeouts looking (22) and wins (5) while ranking fourth in total strikeouts with 54.
Long Beach State (22-12, 9-6 Big West) at Hawai'i (16-13, 6-6 Big West)
Friday, April 21
Time: 9:35 p.m. PT/6:35 p.m. HT
Location: Les Murakami Stadium (Honolul, Hawai'i)
Pitching Matchup: Graham Osman (LBSU) vs. Harry Gustin (UH)
Live Stats | Watch on ESPN+
Saturday, April 22
Time: 9:35 p.m. PT/6:35 p.m. HT
Location: Les Murakami Stadium (Honolul, Hawai'i)
Pitching Matchup: Nico Zeglin (LBSU) vs. Randy Abshier (UH)
Live Stats | Watch on ESPN+
Sunday, April 23
Time: 4:05 p.m. PT/1:05 p.m. HT
Location: Les Murakami Stadium (Honolul, Hawai'i)
Pitching Matchup: Kellan Montgomery (LBSU) vs. TBA (UH)
Live Stats | Watch on ESPN+
ABOUT THE 'BAGS
• The Dirtbags enter the week with a 22-12 overall record and 9-6 mark in conference after losing their weekend series to CSUN last weekend.
• The offense owns a .271/.354/.432 slash line with 225 runs in their 34 games. Of the team's 321 hits, 107 have gone for extra bases, including 39 home runs which ranks second-most in the Big West.
• The pitching staff now owns a 4.45 team ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. In 307.1 innings pitched, they have racked up 340 strikeouts compared to just 116 walks.
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 prior to the 2020 season, 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.
STRIKEOUT MACHINE
• Since Coach Valenzuela took over the program, the pitching staff has been striking people out at record pace posting the highest K/9 in 2021 (9.48) and second highest in 2022 (9.40).
• In 307 innings this year, they have 340 strikeouts which is good for a 10.0 K/9 second in the conference and 43rd in the nation. The staff is punching people out at that pace while also limiting walks, owning the twelfth-best strikeout/walk ratio at 2.93
MIDWEEK MADNESS
• The Dirtbags played another high scoring affair in their midweek at Fresno State last week, topping the Bulldogs 10-7 to complete the season sweep.
• This year, the 'Bags are 4-3 in midweek games averaging over six runs per game. The offense has shined the most posting a .281 average with an .837 team OPS.
• They are scheduled for two more midweek matchups with USC on May 2 and LMU on May 8.
BATTLE AT THE BIG A
• Speaking of USC, the Dirtbags announced the Tuesday, May 2 midweek game with the Trojans will be played at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. First pitch will be at 6pm and tickets will be available at angels.com/dirtbags
• 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.
SCOUTING THE WARRIORS
• Hawaii enters the weekend with a 16-13 overall record and 6-6 mark in conference play. They are coming off a series win over UC San Diego and have won three of their last four games.
• The offense owns a .270/.365/.405 slash line with 180 runs scored in their 29 games played. Of their 180 hits, 84 have gone for extra bases including 21 homers.
• As a staff, the pitching owns a 5.10 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP. In 255.2 innings of work, they own 242 strikeouts compared to 136 walks. Opponents are hitting .274 against them.
AGAINST THE OPPONENT
• Long Beach State and Hawaii has played 35 times in program history with 34 of them coming in the Dirtbag era. LBSU leads the all-time series 23-12 (23-11 since 1989).
• The Dirtbags have won three of the last four which includes a series win in last year's series. Overall when playing on the islands, they have 11 wins in 16 games, but lost three of four their last time out there.
BAGS IN THE BIGS
• Major League Baseball's season is nearly a full month in and currently features five Dirtbag alum across the league. Three of the five appeared on Opening Day rosters with the remaining two already earning a call up from AAA.
• 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.
• Since Opening Day, the duo of Darren McCaughan and Jarren Duran got the call to make them the fourth and fifth Dirtbags in the show this season. Both originally debuted back during the 2021 season.
AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS
• Offensively this season, Jonathon Long leads the Big West in RBI with 37 this season. He also fourth in home runs (9), and fifth in hits (45), slugging percentage (.607), and OPS (1.015). Eddie Saldivar ranks fourth in runs scored (32) and eighth in hits (44). Rocco Peppi is seventh in runs scored with 31.
• On the mound, Nico Zeglin leads the conference with 69 strikeouts, ranks second with a .201 opponent batting average, and fourth with a 2.72 in ERA. Graham Osman is tied for the league lead in both strikeouts looking (22) and wins (5) while ranking fourth in total strikeouts with 54.
Players Mentioned
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