The Dirtbags travelled up the coast to Malibu and came home with a 6-3 defeat at the hands of Pepperdine.
Following a frustrating season-opening sweep at the hands of Vanderbilt in which the offense struggled mightily, head coach Troy Buckley penciled Johnny Bekakis into the leadoff spot for the second time this season. Bekakis responded by hitting a leadoff home run off of Pepperdine pitcher Matt Maurer.
Pepperdine came back with a leadoff home run of their own, this one by freshman Jack Ross. The Waves took the lead with two outs after center fielder Aaron Brown hit an RBI triple off of Dirtbags starter Jason Alexander.
Alexander, a transfer from Santa Rosa Community College, who is coming off a triceps injury, only went three innings in his first outing for Long Beach State (0-4). He allowed two runs on three hits and struck out one and was replaced by Ryan Millison, who gave up three hits in four shutout innings while striking out four.
The Dirtbags got a second run sparked by freshman Garrett Hampson. After a Bekakis single, Hampson had another bunt single, his third of the season. The throw got away from Pepperdine first baseman Brad Anderson, and Bekakis ended up on third. He was driven in on a Michael Hill groundout.
The game remained tied until the eighth inning. The Dirtbags, who have been very bunt-happy this season, drove in the go-ahead run on a bunt. Hill doubled and stole third, and Ino Patron, who hadn’t gotten a hit all season, pushed a bunt down the first base line with two outs. Patron legged it out, and Hill scored from third.
The bullpen, which had been a bright spot in the Vanderbilt series, struggled in Malibu. Cameron Pongs allowed two base runners before being pulled for Austin McGeorge in the eighth. McGeorge walked the only batter he faced, and Kyle Friedrichs came in with the bases loaded and one out. Friedrichs hit Brown to walk in the tying run, and then Waves freshman Aaron Barnett doubled down the first base line, driving in three runs and giving Pepperdine the 6-3 lead.
After Pepperdine closer Eric Karch gave up an error and a walk, he got the next three Dirtbags to seal the victory for the Waves.
The Dirtbags return to Blair Field Friday for a weekend tournament. On Friday at 6 p.m., they welcome No. 19 Arizona State to Blair Field. Saturday the Dirtbags will take on the Wright State Raiders at 2 p.m., and on Sunday, they will travel to Irvine to play division rival UC Irvine. Sunday’s game is set to start at 1 p.m.
