By The Long Beach State Dirtbags are back and younger than ever. Injuries on the team forced head coach Troy Buckley to use a young squad against No. 3 Florida (3-0) over the weekend, starting only two seniors. The rest were all underclassmen and redshirt sophomores who, for many, were introduced to college baseball in one of the hardest ways possible.
The Dirtbags (0-3) were swept, but they played hard and there was a lot to be impressed by. Hitters were able to get on base multiple times, but were not able to bring each other home, reminiscent of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The pitching staff held its own against an offensive juggernaut and the defense limited itself to four errors to end the weekend.
As the season goes on, the Dirtbags will feel more comfortable in crucial situations and learn to communicate more efficiently. For a young team to go on the road and only give up 16 runs in a three-game series, I call that a win.
On the third day, freshman pitcher Alfredo Ruiz only gave up three runs in his first appearance for the Dirtbags, a confidence boost for a young player. A solid pitching performance from Ruiz could give incentive for Buckley to give the freshman more opportunities to grow throughout the season.
The offense was stagnant, but it should start to pick up, especially when Long Beach comes back home for its opener against the University of San Diego Tuesday. Players will be due for an outbreak, and expect another offensive explosion similar to last season’s 16-4 win against Arizona State. That game featured a 10-run fifth inning, a school record.
Just two seasons ago the Dirtbags reached the Super Regional round of the College World Series, but fell off since then. Last season saw Long Beach finish 27-30 and 12-12 in the Big West, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2015 and placing fifth in the Big West.
The squad is predicted to finish third this year behind Fullerton and Irvine, which would be a huge accomplishment for a rebuilding team. Long Beach will be a formidable team in the next few years if the young core stays together.
