While it was the kids who ran the ballpark during Sunday’s annual”Kids Take Over the Ballpark” day, it was the Dirtbags who owned Blair Field in their 7-2 win, sweeping Cal State Northridge – their first sweep of the season.
“When you’re in conference you’ve got to not be swept, and you’ve got to sweep someone,” said Long Beach State head coach Mike Weathers.”You’re going to lose some because the conference is tough. We’ve had a couple opportunities [to sweep] and haven’t taken advantage of it.”
Travis Howell, who came into the series batting .162, boosted his average 46 points on Sunday. He emerged as the Dirtbags’ big winner going 3-for-4, almost hitting through the cycle.
“[It was] a real pleasant surprise for [Howell]. I’m real happy for him,” Weathers said. “He’s worked a lot in the past few weeks, like a lot of guys who have been in slumps, and he was rewarded.”
Howell continued to struggle with his bat throughout the weekend until Sunday. Hitting in the Dirtbags’ “lucky number seven” spot in the order, Howell slugged a two-run homer in his first at-bat, a double in his second and a single in his third, coming just a triple short of the cycle.
“It crossed my mind,” Howell said. “Really, I was just trying to go up there and do what I did my previous three at-bats.”
The Dirtbags started off the weekend with an impressive 11-2 win over the Matadors. Shane Peterson came up big once again, as he pitched five innings, surrendering two unearned runs over four hits. Peterson also drove in four runs for the second time in a week.
Saturday’s 4-2 win, however, was not as easy. The Dirtbags found themselves in trouble several times with CSUN runners on threatening their lead, and failing to capitalize on runners in scoring position.
But the third game went as Weathers had hoped, with the Dirtbags pulling off a 7-2 win for the sweep. RHP Manny McElroy returned for his first start since sustaining a rib injury in February, Travis Howell finally came out of his hitting slump.
This series win, as well as the wins over Pepperdine last Tuesday, should put the Dirtbags back in the top-25 national rankings. The win also puts the Dirtbags (21-12, 4-2) in a three-way tie for second in the Big West Conference.
Sunday was Blair Field’s fifth annual “Kids Take Over the Ballpark” day. Kids got to do the announcing, work the scoreboard and even go on LongBeachState.com’s live broadcast with announcers Brent Recia and Mark Freeman.
