The air at Blair Field is thick. Balls destined to go over the wall typically die in right field at Blair.
But the Blair Field air was thicker than usual this weekend when the No. 11 Dirtbags (34-17, 13-5) took on the No. 16 UC Riverside Highlanders (36-17, 15-3). This weekend, the air was thick with tension. In what was arguably the most competitive and intense – as well as important – series of the season, the cards just didn’t fall in the direction of Long Beach State, as the Dirtbags were swept for the first time all season.
“We’ve got big problems,” said Dirtbags’ head coach Mike Weathers. “We’ve got to play better or we’re not going to be in [the post season].”
On Friday night the Dirtbags saw their 13-game winning streak snapped when they fell to the Highlanders 7-4. On Saturday, despite a great effort by starting pitcher Andrew Liebel, who pitched a complete game, the series was lost, as well as the lead in the Big West Conference, as the Dirtbags dropped their second game in a row, 2-1. On Sunday, they saw their hopes of winning the Big West was hit out of the park.
Sunday started with Shane Peterson giving up three runs in the top of the first. Omar Arif relieved him in the second, and went five and 2/3 shutout innings.
“[Arif] gave a real unbelievable effort,” Weathers said. “I thought Omar, for his last game here at Blair, did an outstanding job.”
In his last performance at home, the senior gave up only three hits, walked none and struck out three.
“I knew it was going to be long coming into today,” Arif said. “I was just trying to keep us close,”
Capitalizing on UCR’s fielding weakness, LBSU turned it around and took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth, and added on two more runs in the sixth.
The win was within reach until the top of the ninth, when the Dirtbags began to crumble. Closer Bryan Shaw took the mound and blew the save, squandering a three run lead and putting the game into extra innings.
“If our closer can’t close out a 3-run lead in the ninth inning, this late in the season, we’ve got problems,” Weathers said. “I always expect more from Shaw.”
The Highlanders took the lead in the top of the 10th, and the Dirtbags were unable to respond.
“I feel like we got too comfortable with a three run lead late in the game and it bit us in the ass today.” Arif said.
The heartbreaking loss has now made it impossible for LBSU to win the Big West Conference. They can either share in the lead or finish second. Next weekend’s series against CS Fullerton will decide the Dirtbags’ post-season fate.
