By snoadmin
The flames continue to rise, and not one team can completely put the fire out.
The Dirtbags caught fire one month ago, and so far Rice, San Diego and Western Illinois have managed to fan the flames, but as the once top-ranked Bruins saw this past weekend, stopping the Dirtbags dead in their tracks is proving to be quite a daunting task.
UCLA (10-8) came into last weekend’s series with Long Beach State with its highest ranking being No. 11. Armed with one of the best recruiting classes in the nation and a highly-touted Friday night ace, Tim Murphy, the series win was anybody’s guess. But the Dirtbags defied expectations by sweeping the Bruins, winning two games by large margins and winning one by pulling off a last-minute, come-from-behind walk-off.
The only thing head coach Mike Weathers had to complain about at the conclusion of the series was the fact that his closer, Bryan Shaw, didn’t have to pitch all weekend.
“That’s kind of a good thing, I guess, that you go three and your closer never comes up,” Weathers said.
According to Boydsworld.com’s unofficial RPI, the Dirtbags hold the top RPI in Division I baseball, making them the strongest team in the country. LBSU is also ranked in the top five in every poll, with its highest ranking being No. 3 on the Rivals.com poll.
The Dirtbags are off to their best start since 1994, (the best opening record a team has set was Dave Snow’s 18-0 opening in 1989, the first year of the Dirtbag program) and for the first time in program history, LBSU has swept Wichita State, Southern California and UCLA.
“I’m glad I did it before I died,” Weathers joked after Sunday’s series sweep.
Young guns
The freshmen came up big for the Dirtbags this weekend, with outfielder Jonathan Jones recording two multi-hit games, catcher John Hill and second baseman Devin Lohman each recording a multi-hit contest for the weekend as well. Jones slugged his way to a Big West Player of the Week award this week.
“Our freshmen are really doing a fantastic job,” Weathers said. “We got 12 hits in that first game [of Saturday’s doubleheader] and eight of them were from our three freshmen.”
Vets step up
Senior catcher Travis Howell shook off his slow start, going 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, two runs and two RBIs Friday night, and 1-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored in Saturday’s second game. Senior RHP Vance Worley pitched his first career complete game, giving up two earned runs (one unearned) on six hits, while striking out nine and contributing just one walk in a game in which 12 batters were walked. Jason Corder continued his hot streak going 2-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBIs Friday night.
Injury report
Manny McElroy will miss the entire season with a rib cage injury. Last year’s Tuesday starter missed several weeks of the season with the same injury in 2007.
Jason Tweedy will also be out for at least a month. The second baseman had a pin put in his left index finger after it was hit while he was trying to bunt Tuesday against San Diego State.
