By Finishing off its nonconference play, the Long Beach State baseball team is gearing up to a take on a familiar foe Thursday when it travels to Cal State Fullerton to face the Titans in their annual nonconference series.
The Dirtbags roll into Fullerton winners of 9 of 11 and a 14-6 record against non-conference opponents. CSUF was voted the preseason Big West favorite by coaches and have started the season 11-8.
While the series won’t count toward conference play, it’ll be a measuring stick for both teams that were projected to finish in the top three spots in the Big West.
“Fullerton is always one team we have circled,” sophomore pitcher Chris Mathewson said. “They’re the first series we start off with, but every game is important.”
The first series will be a test for the Dirtbags as CSUF’s pitchers have allowed 5.66 hits per nine innings, which ranks second in the nation.
While CSUF is 11-8 to start the season, they have a home record of 8-4. The Dirtbags’ pitchers have also had a stellar start to the year going 13-1 when they pitch at least six innings.
“A lot of these guys it’ll be their first time [facing Fullerton],” Hampson said. “It’ll be good to have everyone see what it’s like in the Dirtbags-Titan rivalry.”
The Dirtbags start conference play April 1 against the University of Santa Barbara at Blair Field.
Last season, the Gauchos took their opening series two games to one. The Dirtbags led in the rubber match but gave up four runs in the eighth inning to lose 4-2.
The Gauchos have started the year 15-3, and are 11-1 at home, after the 2016 Big West Preseason Coaches Poll projected to finish fourth.
The preseason poll picked UC Irvine to finish second in the conference. With a record of 14-6 to start the season, the Anteaters are on track to make a run for an even better spot.
The same poll picked Cal State Northridge to go fifth this season, but after an 18-3 start to the season, the Matadors are turning some heads. CSUN is on a 13-game winning streak and two of its losses came in its opening series against CSU Bakersfield, meaning the Matadors have won 17 of their last 18.
With several teams in the running for the Big West crown, LBSU will need to continue its dominant pitching. where the Dirtbags have gone 13-1 in games, their pitcher goes at least six innings.
The opposite goes for when the Dirtbags’ pitchers don’t make it six innings when they are 1-5.
“The main thing is just pounding the zone,” Mathewson said. “We need to stay consistent and continue to grind even when we get into trouble.”
LBSU will also need to improve its 16-18 conference record from last year.
“It’s all the same game [conference and nonconference play],” junior shortstop Garrett Hampson said. “There’s more in-depth scouting reports because you play them so many times, but when it comes down to it, we’re playing pretty good right now and we’re looking to carry it into conference play.”
The Dirtbags open their nonconference series against the Titans on Thursday at 6 p.m. at Goodwin Field in Fullerton.
