Tuesday, May 2
Angel Stadium - Anaheim, Calif.
6 p.m.
Long Beach State University
at
USC
Photo by: Mikaella Salazar
Dirtbags Matchup with USC in Battle at the Big A
5/1/2023 3:51:00 PM | Baseball
Long Beach State will play their midweek with the Trojans at Angel Stadium in Anaheim.
LONG BEACH, Calif. – Long Beach State and the University of Southern California will face off in a Battle at the Big A as they make the trip to Angel Stadium in Anaheim. This game will mark the fourth different major league ballpark the Dirtbags have played in.
Long Beach State (24-17) vs. USC (25-17-1)
Tuesday, May 2
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Angel Stadium (Anaheim, Calif.)
Pitching Matchup: RHP Jake Rons (LBSU) vs. RHP Jaden Agassi (USC)
Live Stats | Watch on ESPN+
ABOUT THE 'BAGS
• The Dirtbags enter the week with a 24-17 overall record after splitting their four games at Nevada. The bats powered their way all weekend totaling 41 runs including a pair of double-digit scoring performances.
• The offense owns a .271/.354/.430 slash line with 272 runs scored in their 41 games. Of their 389 hits, 135 have gone for extra bases. Their 43 home runs ranks second in the conference while their 85 doubles are third.
• The pitching staff now owns a 4.62 team ERA with a 1.41 WHIP. In 366 innings of work, they have racked up 402 strikeouts compared to just 139 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 366 innings this year, they have 402 strikeouts which is good for a 9.9 K/9 second in the conference and 37th in the nation. The staff is punching people out at that pace while also limiting walks, owning the tenth-best strikeout/walk ratio at 2.89 and the 17th best walks per nine in the country at 3.41.
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 tenth game in program history at big league park and fourth different major league stadium. Previously, the 'Bags have played at the Kingdome (former home of the Seattle Mariners), AT&T Park (now Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants), and Petco Park (home of the San Diego Padres). They are 5-4 in those games.
• Part of the 2004 tournament at Petco, Long Beach State and San Diego State playd in front of a crowd of 25,175 people which ranks as the sixth-highest attended single-game in NCAA regular season history.
SCOUTING THE TROJANS
• USC enters the weekend with a 25-17-1 overall record after being swept by the University of Washington this past weekend. When playing away from Dedeaux Field, they are 5-12-1.
• The offense owns a .284/.383/.463 slash line with 298 runs scored in their 43 games played. Of their 410 hits, 145 have gone for extra bases including 44 homers.
• As a staff, the pitching owns a 4.28 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. In 383 innings of work, they own 364 strikeouts compared to 160 walks. Opponents are hitting .243 against them.
AGAINST THE OPPONENT
• Long Beach State and USC has faced each other 133 times in program history going back to 1960. LBSU is 46-86 all-time in those games and 35-46 in the Dirtbags era.
• The Dirtbags and Trojans have split their last six games and in their one meeting in the Valenzuela era, the 'Bags came out on top 11-5 last season.
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 Darren McCaughan, Jarren Duran, and Garrett Hampson have all been recalled give the the 'Bags six active alum. McCaughan and Duran are with the Mariners and Red Sox, respectively while Hampson sports a new uniform in Miami.
AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS
• Offensively this season, Jonathon Long leads the Big West in RBI with 44 this season. He also ranks third in slugging (.627), doubles (15), and home runs (11), and fourth in OPS (1.049). Eddie Saldivar ranks fourth in fifth in hits (54) and sixth in runs (36).
• On the mound, Nico Zeglin leads the conference with 84 strikeouts while also ranking third in innings (65.1), third in opponent average (.208), and fourth in ERA (2.62).
Full Game Notes
Long Beach State (24-17) vs. USC (25-17-1)
Tuesday, May 2
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Angel Stadium (Anaheim, Calif.)
Pitching Matchup: RHP Jake Rons (LBSU) vs. RHP Jaden Agassi (USC)
Live Stats | Watch on ESPN+
ABOUT THE 'BAGS
• The Dirtbags enter the week with a 24-17 overall record after splitting their four games at Nevada. The bats powered their way all weekend totaling 41 runs including a pair of double-digit scoring performances.
• The offense owns a .271/.354/.430 slash line with 272 runs scored in their 41 games. Of their 389 hits, 135 have gone for extra bases. Their 43 home runs ranks second in the conference while their 85 doubles are third.
• The pitching staff now owns a 4.62 team ERA with a 1.41 WHIP. In 366 innings of work, they have racked up 402 strikeouts compared to just 139 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 366 innings this year, they have 402 strikeouts which is good for a 9.9 K/9 second in the conference and 37th in the nation. The staff is punching people out at that pace while also limiting walks, owning the tenth-best strikeout/walk ratio at 2.89 and the 17th best walks per nine in the country at 3.41.
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 tenth game in program history at big league park and fourth different major league stadium. Previously, the 'Bags have played at the Kingdome (former home of the Seattle Mariners), AT&T Park (now Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants), and Petco Park (home of the San Diego Padres). They are 5-4 in those games.
• Part of the 2004 tournament at Petco, Long Beach State and San Diego State playd in front of a crowd of 25,175 people which ranks as the sixth-highest attended single-game in NCAA regular season history.
SCOUTING THE TROJANS
• USC enters the weekend with a 25-17-1 overall record after being swept by the University of Washington this past weekend. When playing away from Dedeaux Field, they are 5-12-1.
• The offense owns a .284/.383/.463 slash line with 298 runs scored in their 43 games played. Of their 410 hits, 145 have gone for extra bases including 44 homers.
• As a staff, the pitching owns a 4.28 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. In 383 innings of work, they own 364 strikeouts compared to 160 walks. Opponents are hitting .243 against them.
AGAINST THE OPPONENT
• Long Beach State and USC has faced each other 133 times in program history going back to 1960. LBSU is 46-86 all-time in those games and 35-46 in the Dirtbags era.
• The Dirtbags and Trojans have split their last six games and in their one meeting in the Valenzuela era, the 'Bags came out on top 11-5 last season.
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 Darren McCaughan, Jarren Duran, and Garrett Hampson have all been recalled give the the 'Bags six active alum. McCaughan and Duran are with the Mariners and Red Sox, respectively while Hampson sports a new uniform in Miami.
AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS
• Offensively this season, Jonathon Long leads the Big West in RBI with 44 this season. He also ranks third in slugging (.627), doubles (15), and home runs (11), and fourth in OPS (1.049). Eddie Saldivar ranks fourth in fifth in hits (54) and sixth in runs (36).
• On the mound, Nico Zeglin leads the conference with 84 strikeouts while also ranking third in innings (65.1), third in opponent average (.208), and fourth in ERA (2.62).
Full Game Notes
Players Mentioned
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