For the second straight game, a potent Cal State Fullerton offense and miscues by Long Beach State prevented the Dirtbags from earning a win over the 10th-ranked Titans on Saturday.
The Dirtbags (22-25, 7-10 Big West Conference) committed two errors, but it was CSUF’s Christian Colon who once again delivered the punishing blow en route to the Titans’ 8-0 win over LBSU at Blair Field.
Dirtbags’ starter Jake Thompson (5-3) had only allowed one run going into the sixth inning, but that wouldn’t last as the Titans once again put their offense on display.
CSUF (33-14, 17-3 Big West) loaded the bases with no outs and that spelled trouble for Thompson. The junior allowed two runs before giving up a grand slam to Colon that nearly reached the golf course behind Blair Field’s left-field wall.
“It’s tough,” Thompson said about the errors. “Sometimes, you feel like you’re isolated out there all by yourself, but I still don’t give up on my boys. I tell them ‘hey I’m going to get you another ground ball right here and you can make it up.’
“I don’t give up on them, but it does get frustrating at times.”
The home run ended Thompson’s day, and marked the second straight contest that the right-hander had his outing end with a blast. He surrendered a late-inning home run last Saturday against Stanford.
Colon’s big home run marked the third Titans grand slam this season. The Golden Spikes watch list member also smashed a three-run home run in Friday night’s contest.
“They swing when they need to swing,” Thompson said. “A lot of other teams will give in to a full count or give in to a plus count for a pitcher. These guys don’t care what the count is, they will just swing and try to put the ball in play. That makes it tough.”
The Dirtbags’ head coach Mike Weathers mentioned the impact that errors usually have on the series between the two rivals. That was never more evident than with the first two games of this series as the Dirtbags have committed seven errors and lost both games so far.
LBSU’s record when committing more than two errors now sits at 3-11 on the season.
“When you don’t have confidence, and you start to make some errors, it starts creeping into your hands,” Weathers said. “It creeps into your head also and your hands become a little bit different as an infielder. There’s fielding slumps, and you start questioning yourself.”
It was also the second straight game in which a Dirtbag starter was roughed up by the Titans. Drew Gagnon surrendered five runs in just two innings on Friday night.
Thompson gave up seven runs – five earned – on eight hits in five innings pitched for LBSU.
“Every at-bat is a grind,” Weathers said. “Every at-bat, they [CSUF] have a good plan, and they make you earn everything you do.”
The Titans’ starter Daniel Renken (9-2) was nearly unblemished as he surrendered no runs on eight hits to earn the complete-game shutout.
Steve Tinoco went 2-for-2 to lead the Dirtbags on offense, while Joey Terdoslavich went 2-for-4.
Through two games, Colon has seven RBIs and four hits to lead CSUF.
LBSU will look to avoid the sweep on Sunday when they face CSUF at 1 p.m. at Blair Field. Branden Pinder (4-5, 4.15 earned run average) will take the mound for the Dirtbags and Dylan Floro (4-0, 2.81 ERA) will toe the rubber for CSUF.
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