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Errors
plague Dirtbags as they lose their fifth
game in a row
By
Trent Loomis
Online Forty-Niner
Staff Writer
For
Long Beach State, the errors did not just
come raining down this past weekend—they
poured.
Almost
a week ago, the LBSU baseball team was ranked
No. 14 in the nation with a 5-1 record,
but since then, the clouds settled in over
Long Beach and left the Dirtbags at 5-6
after being swept by UC Berkeley (6-5) this
weekend at Blair Field.
Having
given up 10 unearned runs already this year
(after surrendering 22 last year) the Dirtbags
are praying for brighter days ahead.
In
addition to treating the baseball like a
bar of soap, LBSU is without All-American
shortstop Troy Tulowitzki for at least five
weeks after he had surgery on his hand.
Starting
pitcher Cesar Ramos fell to 2-2 after giving
up three runs, one of them earned, six hits,
while striking out six in game one on Friday,
as the Dirtbags fell to the Golden Bears
3-2.
After
jumping out to an early 1-0 lead, Cal took
advantage of an errant throw in the top
of the fourth inning by Dirtbag catcher
Tito Cruz, which resulted in two unearned
runs and a 3-0 lead.
In
the bottom of the fifth, LBSU answered back
and took advantage of a Cal miscue to score
two runs.
Centerfielder
Jose Hernandez led off the fifth with a
single, and then two batters later right
fielder Steve Velazco drew a walk, setting
the table for Evan Longoria
Longoria,
who is filling in for Tulowitzki at shortstop,
smacked an Adam Gold pitch to Cal first
baseman James Holder, who misplayed the
ball. This allowed Hernandez and Velazco
to score what would be the only Dirtbag
runs of the game.
Brian
Anderson and Neil Jamison combined for three
innings and no hits in relief of Ramos.
Game
two was rescheduled due to rain and any
revenge would have to wait until Sunday
for a doubleheader.
The
first game on Sunday was competitive, with
the score tied 3-3, until the end of the
seventh.
In
the eighth, a botched pickoff attempt by
LBSU yielded the go ahead run for Cal and
in the ninth, The Beach would give up two
more unearned runs before losing 7-4.
Hernandez
went 2-4 and drove in the only run for the
Dirtbags.
If
the Dirtbag's poor defense started out with
a cold in game one, it became a full-blown
infection by game three.
LBSU
starting pitcher Jared Hughes went seven
strong innings through the light rain, allowing
five hits and striking out seven, but was
burdened with an unearned run.
Starter-turned-reliever
Cody Evans came on for Hughes in the eighth
and was capable of earning one thing—the
loss.
With
the score tied in the top of the ninth,
the Dirtbags had a chance to keep it that
way, but a dropped foul ball by catcher
Chris Jones gave Cal another chance.
Cal's
Mike Van Winden took advantage of the opportunity
with a two-run hit giving the Golden Bears
the victory 3-1.
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