Another
series, another series win for the Dirtbags
Jon Cook/On-line Forty-Niner
Cesar
Ramos hurls a pitch in Friday's 10-2 drubbing
of the Arizona Wildcats. Ramos picked up
the win and the Dirbags won all three against
the Wildcats.
By
Karl Peterson
On-line Forty-Niner
Five
series are in the books for the Long Beach
State baseball team and the team has won
all five.
The
Dirtbags (16-5) weekend sweep at home against
the No. 17-ranked Arizona Wildcats (11-9-1)
is the most recent of those series victories.
"Any
time that you sweep anybody, especially
a ranked opponent like Arizona, it kind
of shows where the team is at," head
coach Mike Weathers said.
Where
the team is at, is ranked No. 10 in the
nation with the three recent wins fueled
by strong pitching and for the first time
this season consistent hitting.
"It
felt great to finally start hitting the
ball," sophomore left fielder John
Bowker said.
Bowker
went three for four with two RBIs and a
run in Saturday's 4-2 defeat of the Wildcats
in front of 1,135 fans at Blair Field. It
was the fourth straight game that Bowker
has had multiple hits.
Jason
Vargas picked up the win for the Dirtbags
and had his best start of the season. Vargas
had struggled in his last three starts,
losing all three, but was back in the form
that makes him one of the most important
additions to the team this season.
Vargas
attributed his success to working with assistant
coach Troy Buckley throughout the week.
The two worked on keeping the ball away
from right handers and on Vargas' slider.
The junior college transfer has always felt
confident in his fastball but practicing
his slider and off speed pitch gave him
the confidence to throw those pitches for
strikes.
LBSU
scored two runs in the second and two runs
in the third, but narrowly held on to the
lead late in the game. Arizona's Pat Reilly
smashed a solo home run to center field
off of Brett Andrade in the eighth inning,
prompting Weathers to insert closer Neil
Jamison. Jamison ended the inning with ease
but got into trouble in the ninth.
After
Jamison allowed a run in the inning, Reilly
came up to bat representing the tying run
with two outs. The drama would not last
long though, Reilly fisted a weak pop up
on the first pitch and ended the game. Jamison
picked up his eighth save of the season.
In
Friday night's game, the Dirtbags had its
season high in runs and hits, winning the
game 10-2.
Senior
first baseman Mike Hofius had a career night,
his five RBIs were the most he has had in
an LBSU uniform.
Cesar
Ramos had little trouble. He gave up only
two runs in the fourth inning en route to
his fourth win and third in his last five
starts.
Thursday
the Dirtbags were victorious once again
behind the strong pitching of sensational
starter Jered Weaver. While Weaver did not
have his usual double-digit strikeout game,
he did shut down and shut out the Wildcats.
Weaver
allowed only three hits over seven innings.
Third baseman Tito Cruz had three hits and
scored two runs, which was more than enough
to propel Weaver to his seventh win in seven
starts this season.
Weaver's
resume for the National Player of the Year
award is getting stronger and stronger.
In his seven starts the junior right hander
has pitched more than 50 innings allowing
only four runs and six walks while striking
out 73 batters. Opponents are batting only
.119 against Weaver on the season.
The
Dirtbags are back in action at Blair Field
tomorrow and Wednesday against the Shockers
of Wichita State. Weathers said that freshman
left hander Brandon Villalobos will get
the start tomorrow and Weaver will probably
get the nod Wednesday. Both games start
at 6:30 p.m.
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