The Dirtbags were solid this weekend once again, sweeping Pacific 10-3, 14-3, and 7-6, their second Big West Conference sweep in as many weeks. No. 25 Long Beach State looks to be back on track and it couldn’t come at a better time.
LBSU has picked itself back up by winning its last six conference games and the last seven of eight, going from No. 8 in the Big West to a tie with UC Santa Barbara for No. 2. Jason Corder and Shane Peterson can’t stop hitting bombs and TJ Mittelstaedt keeps pulling out game-winning hits. Jason Tweedy, back from a finger injury, has picked up right where he left off and Rylan Sandoval became a sparkplug at third base this weekend.
As a team, the Dirtbags are doing what they did when they went on their early season tear: They’re finally finding a way to win again.
“It’s nice to see that we’re finding a way to stay in the game,” said head coach Mike Weathers, “like we did in the beginning of the year against all of those ranked teams. A lot of those [wins] were come-from-behind or ‘leave them on the field.’ Very close to what we were doing at the beginning of the year, that’s a good sign.”
One of Weathers’ biggest frustrations has been the lack of productivity from bench players. Several reserves have been inserted into the starting lineup over the past month, only to disappoint each time. But some role changes against Pacific proved effective.
Sandoval is a good bet to become a fixture at third after a standout performance this weekend. The Chabot College transfer has been utilized mainly as a designated hitter and made a few starts in the outfield this year as well. But when given an opportunity to play at his natural position, Sandoval shined.
“He came through big time, I thought this weekend,” Weathers said.
“When I got in on Saturday, I wasn’t nervous but knowing I had been in [the field] in a while, just trying to hurry up and get back in the swing of things,” Sandoval said. “But every play I made – I know I started feeling better about myself.”
With regular third baseman Brandon Godfrey flirting with his on-again-off-again relationship with injuries and converted catcher Taylor Krick, being not-so-solid in the field, Sandoval was inserted into the starting lineup Saturday. Playing in the field also gave him a boost at the plate, as he went 7-for-10 with two doubles, a home run, three runs and three RBIs.
Sandoval had been minimally effective as a designated hitter, but showed he performs better when playing in the field.
“Whatever job they need me to do, I’ll do it, but I haven’t been used to DHing,” Sandoval said. “I transferred from a junior college where I was an everyday player. For me, just being in the field helps me focus and helps me see the ball better.”
Brett Lorin, who usually competes with Tyler Topp for the mid-week game starting spot, was effective in relief this weekend as well, with Weathers saying he was “the best part of the weekend.”
However, while the sweep was a huge step in the right direction, don’t be counting on a Big West title just yet. The Dirtbags squandered opportunities to win Saturday and Sunday, taking both games into extra innings.
Saturday’s victory was narrowly won in the rubber, as Nick Vincent gave up three earned in the ninth, allowing the Tigers to tie.
Sunday, the Dirtbags tied it up in the ninth and had the winning run on third with one out, but Peterson decided to bunt rather than swing away, was forced out and no runs crossed the plate.
It’s decisions like these that have Weathers questioning his team.
“That was on his own,” Weathers said. “I was beside myself. These kids don’t know the game. That’s not the time to do that when you just hit an opposite-field home run the inning before that.”
The Dirtbags moved to 26-15 on the season, 17-5 in the Big West, while Pacific fell to 8-31 overall and 2-13 in the Big West. With no mid-week contest this week for the first time all season, the Dirtbags will take a few days off before heading up to Northern California to take on new Big West Conference member UC Davis. Davis has had a strong showing in its first season as a Division I school, going 26-15 overall and 7-5 in the Big West.
This weekend in the Big West
– No. 12 CS Fullerton (11-4, 26-15, leads Big West) takes series from UC Davis (7-5, 26-15, T3 in Big West) 2-1.
– UC Santa Barbara (8-4, 29-13, T2 Big West) dropped its series with rival Cal Poly (6-9, 18-22, fifth in Big West) 2-1.
– UC Riverside (7-5, 13-25, tied for third in Big West) clinched the series against CS Northridge (5-10, 17-22, sixth in Big West) Sunday.
– No. 13 UC Irvine (6-6, 28-10, No. 4 in Big West) swept New Mexico in a non-conference series.
