By The collective sigh of resignation from the Blair Field crowd as a two-run single passed over the glove of leaping Dirtbags’ shortstop Santino Rivera told it all: The resulting 3-0 sixth-inning deficit would be too much to overcome. The Dirtbags (0-7) dropped their seventh straight, losing to Nevada (6-1) Sunday 3-2.
“We have a ways to go in taking care of the little things,” head coach Troy Buckley said.
This is the first time in the Buckley era the Dirtbags have started a season 0-7.
Defense shined in the early innings. Senior center fielder Brooks Stotler saved two runs with an over-the-head running catch in deep center to end the top of the second. In the bottom of the inning, Dirtbags’ freshman left fielder Chase Luttrell, was robbed on the warning track in right by a great grab by Nevada’s Wes Hatten.
Dirtbags’ starting pitcher Alfredo Ruiz (0-2) got in trouble in the fourth inning. The freshman left-hander hit Hatten with the pitch, threw a wild pitch and walked Jaylon McLaughlin to load the bases with nobody out.
The ensuing single should have scored two, but Stotler prevented the second run with a great throw to cut down Hatten at home. Nevada led 1-0 after the play.
“I think some guys got a little bit tired of getting their ass kicked, so I think honestly they were a little more competitive,” Buckley said.
Ruiz, though, could not get his day back under control. He again loaded the bases and was relieved by freshman left hander Basilio Pacheco after 3.1 innings. Pacheco’s first pitch was fielded at third by freshman Tyler Porter who stepped on the bag and threw to first for the inning-ending double play leaving the score at 1-0 after four innings.
Ruiz allowed one run on six hits. He struck out two, walked one, hit two batters and threw a wild pitch.
“He’s a good competitor, I trust him as far as that, but [he] lacks the true weapons to be able to navigate through a lineup two to three times,” Buckley said.
Sophomore second baseman Victor Carlino’s double helped the Dirtbags knock Nevada starting pitcher Tyler Smith out of the game in the fifth, but Long Beach left runners stranded on the corners.
“We’re just trying to get the head [of the bat] out right now,” Stotler said.
Josh Zamora hit the 2-RBI single over the glove of Carlino in the following inning, sealing the Dirtbags’ fate. Carlino did his part, however, with a solo home run to right in the bottom of the ninth.
The Dirtbags face SEC powerhouse Ole Miss 4:30 p.m. Friday in Oxford, MS.
