Dirtbags Return Home For Final Big West Series At Bohl Diamond At Blair Field

Friday, May 1

Long Beach, Calif.

6:05 p.m.

Long Beach State University

UC San Diego

Tickets From $12 - $23

Dirtbags Return Home For Final Big West Series At Bohl Diamond At Blair Field

4/30/2026 3:53:00 PM | Baseball

Long Beach State hosts UC San Diego in final Big West home series of the season.

By: Cianna Smith-Andrews, Assistant Director, Athletic Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State returns home this weekend to host UC San Diego in a three-game Big West series at Bohl Diamond at Blair Field. The matchup marks the Dirtbags' final Big West home series of the season and the second-to-last series overall in 2026.

Friday's opener is scheduled for 6:05 p.m., followed by Saturday's contest at 6:05 p.m. Sunday's series finale will air on ESPN+ with first pitch set for 1:05 p.m., followed by the popular Kids Run the Bases event.

LEADING OFF
The Dirtbags enter the weekend looking to continue momentum after earning a road series win over UC Davis last weekend. Long Beach State took the first two games of the series before falling in Sunday's finale, securing its second Big West series victory of conference play.

UC San Diego arrives in Long Beach currently ranked second in conference play entering the weekend.

STARTING PITCHERS
Sophomore right-hander Ka'imi Kahalekai is expected to make his third start of the season on Friday night. Kahalekai has appeared in 17 games this season, striking out 34 batters across 28.2 innings while serving in multiple pitching roles throughout the year. His swing-and-miss ability has been valuable for the Dirtbags staff, averaging more than a strikeout per inning.

Freshman right-hander Luke Howe will continue his regular Saturday role after becoming one of the most dependable freshmen starters in the Big West. Howe enters the weekend with a 4.71 ERA and a 4-2 record across 11 starts while totaling 70.2 innings pitched and 56 strikeouts. His workload has been especially significant for Long Beach State, as he ranks second in the conference in innings pitched despite being a freshman.

Freshman right-hander Jason Gerfers will take the ball in Sunday's finale, continuing his role as a key anchor in the rotation. Gerfers owns a 5.67 ERA with 57 strikeouts over 60.1 innings while limiting opponents to a .241 batting average. Earlier this season, Gerfers earned Baseball America National Team of the Week honors after throwing complete-game victories against Hawai'i and Cal State Bakersfield.

UC San Diego is projected to counter with right-handers Steele Murdock and Trevor Rector before turning to Nic Gregson in Sunday's finale.

ON THE MOUND
Caleb Anderson delivered one of the strongest outings by a Dirtbags pitcher this season during Long Beach State's victory over then-No. 12 USC. The freshman right-hander tossed six shutout innings, allowing just one hit while striking out a career-high nine batters with only one walk.

The performance earned Anderson recognition on Baseball America's National Team of the Week for Week 10, making him the second Dirtbags pitcher this season to receive the honor alongside Gerfers.

THIS AND THAT
• Trevor Goldenetz continues to pace the Big West offensively, ranking second in batting average (.369) while leading the conference in on-base percentage (.489). His ability to consistently reach base has made him one of the toughest outs in the conference.

• Jake Evans remains one of the most complete hitters in the Big West, ranking third in batting average (.364), second in on-base percentage (.483) and seventh in slugging percentage (.542). Evans has also produced extra-base power with 12 doubles.

• Dylan Lina continues to provide middle-of-the-order production, ranking fifth in the conference with 40 RBI while sitting among the Big West leaders with eight home runs.

• Kaiden Smaka remains one of the conference's most dangerous speed threats, ranking among the Big West leaders in triples.

• Trotter Enright's plate discipline has been critical for the Dirtbags offense, as he leads the conference with 32 walks while continuing to set the tone at the top of the lineup.

• Gerfers and Howe have both emerged as strikeout leaders for Long Beach State. Gerfers ranks among the conference leaders in opposing batting average and strikeouts looking (57), while Howe sits just behind him with 56 strikeouts.

LAST TIME OUT
Long Beach State went 2-2 last week, beginning with a 5-2 home loss to Fresno State before heading north for a road series at UC Davis.

The Dirtbags responded by taking the first two games against the Aggies, earning a 5-3 victory on Friday before clinching the series with an 8-3 win on Saturday. Long Beach State received key contributions from players stepping into expanded roles, including Murchael Turner and Justin Roulston, both of whom delivered timely offense during the series win.

UC Davis avoided the sweep with a 3-0 shutout victory in Sunday's finale.

SCOUTING THE TRITONS
UC San Diego enters the weekend with a 19-21 overall record and a 14-7 mark in Big West play, currently sitting second in the conference standings.

The Tritons went 3-1 last week, taking two of three games at home against UC Irvine before defeating LMU 10-0 in a seven-inning no-hitter during midweek action. The no-hitter marked the first in program history during UC San Diego's Division I era.

Historically, Long Beach State trails the all-time series 10-6 against UC San Diego. The Dirtbags' last win over the Tritons came on March 23, 2025, when Long Beach State earned a 10-0 shutout victory.

PLAYER NOTES
• Enright has embraced the leadoff role recently, providing steady at-bats and consistent traffic on the bases. The sophomore infielder leads the conference in walks while adding 43 hits and 29 RBI this season.

• Toomey continues to impact games in multiple ways, combining gap power with toughness at the plate. He has collected 36 hits, 11 doubles and 22 RBI while also ranking among the conference leaders in sacrifice flies.

• Smith Chandler has delivered consistency defensively and offensively, batting .266 with 29 hits, 20 RBI and three home runs while playing error-free defense in the outfield.

• Lina continues serving as the Dirtbags' primary run producer, leading the team with 40 RBI and eight home runs while ranking among the conference leaders in hit-by-pitches.

• Aaron Perez has provided valuable depth in the lineup while anchoring first base defensively, recording a .990 fielding percentage with 265 putouts.

• Damon Valdez and Conner Stewart have both provided steady production behind the plate, combining for 32 hits while adding 363 putouts.

• Reid Montgomery has filled multiple roles defensively and offensively this season, contributing across the lineup with 14 hits and seven RBIs.