The Dirtbags have struggled to get their bats going this year, having scored seven runs in the first four games of the young 2014 season.
Friday, Long Beach State (1-4) finally got their first win against No. 18 Arizona State (2-3), 11-0. In the third inning of the game, the LBSU scored seven runs and matched its run total for the whole season.
After the first three batters of the inning walked, Freshman Garrett Hampson hit a ball about five feet, but ASU pitcher Ryan Burr tried to get the runner out at home. His throw went to the backstop, and two runners to scored. A wild pitch then scored another run for the Dirtbags. After Michael Hill struck out, Richard Prigatano hit a ball up the middle to plate Hampson. Prigatano moved to second on a balk, stole third, and was driven home on a single by Ino Patron. After a Zach Rivera walk, Johnny Bekakis doubled down the left field line, scoring both runners.
The Dirtbags tallied four more in the bottom of the seventh. Hampson led off with a walk and was driven in by another Prigatano single. Patron followed up the single with a blast over the right field wall, his first home run of the season and the fifth of his Dirtbag career. An error, a single and a walk loaded the bases again, and Domingues’ third walk of the game scored Bekakis from third. Michael Hill was the only Dirtbag starter not to cross the plate in the win, and Patron finished a triple shy of the cycle.
“I changed bats, and that’s exactly what it was,” said Patron, with a huge smile on his face. “That other bat wasn’t doing it for me, so I switched it up a little bit. It’s all the bat, it had nothing to do with me”.
The 11 runs were plenty for Dirtbags pitcher Nick Sabo. Sabo, who took the loss last Friday against Vanderbilt despite pitching a solid game, surpassed that performance against the Sun Devils. Sabo went a career high eight innings, striking out eight and allowing six hits. He was only in danger in the second and fourth inning, where he let the first two batters reach base. He escaped the inning unscathed and cruised the rest of the way, retiring 14 straight Sun Devils at one point.
“I felt good,” said Sabo. “Early on, it was kind of a different feeling. As the game went on, I settled down.”
Head coach Troy Buckley said Sabo’s effort was highlighted by his ability to get out of jams.
“That was a great outing by [Sabo],” he said. “To go deep in the game. The second and the fourth inning were really big deals, to be able to pitch out of jams. To give up a zero, that’s doing something.”
Nick Rosetta came on in the ninth inning and allowed a single but preserved the shutout victory. This marks the first time Arizona State has been shut out in the regular season since last April.
