The season is young, but it is hard to imagine there will be a more exciting Dirtbags game than what transpired Friday night a Blair Field.
Long Beach State just barely managed to slide past visiting No. 7 Texas to take the first game of the series, 7-6. The Dirtbags scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to win the game.
Coming into the bottom of the ninth inning they had fallen into a two-run deficit behind Texas. With one out, Matt Cline singled to start off the Dirtbag’s ninth inning rally.
Texas pitcher Joseph Krebs hit Steve Perry with a pitch giving Perry a free pass to first. Adrian Alaniz then came on the mound for Texas and immediately hit Jason Corder, loading the bases for Long Beach. Bobby McMurray, pinch-hitting for Chris Lopez, drove in two runs with a single to the right side of the infield to tie the game at six.
Being cheered on by the home crowd Blair Field, Danny Espinosa hit the game winning single to win it for the Dirtbags. Espinosa, last year’s Big West Conference Freshman of the Year, is continuing to be an asset to the Dirtbags. Espinosa went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs.
“This team is starting to maybe gain an identity early in the year which is great,” head coach Mike Weathers said. “I think if we could have got out of [the ninth inning] with a tie I would have been happy even if Espinosa hadn’t won the game.”
Vance Worley started on the mound for the Dirtbags and pitched six innings, giving up seven hits, five runs (four earned), walking two and striking out four. Dustin Rasco notched the win for the Dirtbags. Rasco gave up only one hit, one run, and had three strikeouts over three innings.
The Dirtbags continue the series today with Long Beach’s Manny McElroy pitching against Texas’s Kyle Walker.
“He’s very composed… Throws three pitches for his strikes,” Weathers said of McElroy. “He’s not a real hard thrower, but I think he throws strikes and he kept us in the game last week [against USC] so I’m looking forward to doing it again.”
As for today’s strategy: “Pray for no rain,” Weathers said.
