Game 3: LBSU 5, UCI 0
Brennan Metzger drove in a pair of runs and Jeff Yamaguchi added three hits as the Long Beach State Dirtbags took their final series of the year, beating No. 16-ranked UC Irvine, 5-0, in the rubber match of the three-game series at Anteater Ballpark.
Shawn Stuart (4-4) allowed just two hits and struck out seven while pitching seven scoreless innings en route to the win. The junior also lowered his ERA to 3.16 in 2011.
LBSU (29-27, 12-12 Big West Conference) started off the game by scoring in the first for the second day in a row. Matt Hibbert led off the game with a chopper over the head of UCI third baseman Brian Hernandez. After Hibbert advanced to second, the Dirtbags took a 1-0 lead on an RBI single by Matt Duffy.
The Dirtbags added a pair of extra runs in the sixth inning. Jeff McNeil drew a leadoff walk, and scored when Mike Marjama hit his second triple of the series. The Anteaters picked up two outs, including Marjama at the plate on a grounder, but Juan Avila scored on an RBI single to right from Metzger to put The Beach out in front 3-0.
The Dirtbags added a run in the eighth inning as Metzger came through again with two outs to bring home Avila for a four-run cushion. A leadoff single by Jeff Yamaguchi led to another insurance run in the ninth as an error by UCI on a sacrifice bunt by Brennan Fulkerson allowed Yamaguchi to advance to third before he scored on a sacrifice fly from Hibbert.
Jon Maciel put down the Anteaters (39-16, 16-8 Big West) in order in the eighth inning, and finished the ninth to complete the shutout.
LBSU’s 29-27 record marks the program’s first winning mark since the 2008 season.
Game 2: LBSU 8, UCI 6
Hibbert’s three-run home run in the eighth inning capped a comeback as the Dirtbags rallied to win 8-6 over UCI on Saturday. Hibbert gave the Dirtbags the lead twice, scoring to start the game and then pushing LBSU over the top with his first career home run.
Trailing 6-4, The Dirtbags finally regained the lead in the eighth inning against UC Irvine closer Brian Hernandez. Avila started the inning with a single, and after Jeff Yamaguchi was hit by a pitch, Hernandez picked up a pair of outs.
Hibbert then lifted his third hit of the game deep to left field, and it drifted over the wall to give LBSU a 7-6 lead, its first since the bottom of the second.
After adding an insurance run in the top of the ninth, LBSU closer Branden Pinder came in to complete the save, striking out two after a leadoff hit. Avila then ran down a fly ball from Reyes with a shoestring catch to end the game, giving the Dirtbags the victory.
It took one pitch to end the hitless streak for LBSU as Hibbert led off the game with a single on the first offering from Matt Whitehouse. After a sacrifice by Jeff McNeil, an error by Tommy Reyes at second base allowed the senior to score and give the Dirtbags a 1-0 lead.
UCI answered back in the bottom of the second. Following a double and a walk, an error on a sacrifice kept the inning alive and the Anteaters capitalized. After tying the game on the error, a second walk loaded the bases, and a sacrifice fly from Sean Madigan and an RBI single by Brian Hernandez put the Anteaters in the lead 3-1.
The Dirtbags pulled back a run in the fifth inning. Yamaguchi singled to start the frame, and after a bunt single from Royce Murai, an RBI single from McNeil scored Yamaguchi. With runners on second and third, however, Whitehouse struck out Mike Marjama to end the Dirtbags’ threat with just one run across.
The Anteaters added two more runs with a couple of breaks in the bottom half of the same inning. With two runners on and one out, a bunt was nearly caught by pitcher Matt Johnson for what would have been a double play, but instead, resulted in an error when Yamaguchi was unable to catch the throw to first base from McNeil.
Another bunt was well placed, scoring two runs as Christian Ramirez, who followed behind the lead runner, slid under the tag at home.
LBSU answered in the sixth, though. Matt Duffy led off the inning with a double, and after Brennan Metzger beat out a bunt, a single by Juan Avila scored the Dirtbags third run of the day, cutting UCI’s lead to 5-3.
The Dirtbags pulled one step closer in the seventh with a two-out rally. McNeil singled for the second time on the day, and was followed by a triple in the gap by Marjama, scoring the freshman to reduce the Anteaters’ lead to one run.
UC Irvine threatened to open up the game again in the bottom of the seventh by hitting three straight singles to start the inning, scoring a run. A walk loaded the bases with no outs, but Johnson responded with a strikeout, and then induced a double play to end the inning.
Game 1: UCI 2, LBSU 0
UCI starting pitcher Matt Summers delivered the first ever nine-inning no-hitter against LBSU to give the Anteaters a 2-0 victory in the series opener Friday.
Summers (10-2) threw his second complete game of the season, striking out five and improving to 10-2 on the season. It was the third no-hitter in UC Irvine history.
LBSU was limited to two base runners, as Yamaguchi drew a third inning walk, and Ino Patron stole second after being hit by a pitch in the ninth.
UCI scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, turning a single by Jordan Fox into a run with an RBI double by Ramirez. The Anteaters scored a second run an inning later. After a leadoff single squeaked through the infield, a sacrifice and a second single through the middle brought home Reyes to give UC Irvine a 2-0 lead after five innings.
LBSU starting pitcher Andrew Gagnon (4-10) exited after six innings, allowing two runs on eight hits, while striking out a pair in what was likely his final start as a Dirtbag.
Gagnon finishes his career with 43 games started, sixth-most in school history behind four players that made the major leagues. He finishes his career with an ERA of 3.93 after three years as a starter, including two seasons of pitching on Friday, and closes 2011 with an ERA under three at 2.81.
With the loss, however, Gagnon slipped into a tie with Gary Randall for the most career losses.
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