One-hitter • Junior
Andrew Carpenter threw a one-hitter and helped
lead the Dirtbags to a 6-0 win against UIC
Saturday. Jeffery Patch / Online Forty-Niner
LBSU overpower on the mound
By Mario Burciaga and Kim Oswell
The No. 17-ranked Dirtbags kicked off a two-week home-stand with a 5-3 victory
Friday and a 6-0 victory on Saturday against University of Illinois-Chicago at
Blair Field.
Long Beach State (8-4) had a consistent offensive attack in Friday’s game
and a near complete game shutout by Jared Hughes (3-0), striking out nine and
at one point retiring 10 batters in a row.
“
I got them into the guessing game,” said Hughes, utilizing all three
of his pitches and keeping UIC batters off balance before tiring in the ninth
inning and surrendering three runs. “It upset me, but I’m glad
we won and that’s what’s important.”
Allowing five hits and three runs through eight and one-third innings, Hughes’ 102
pitch performance was good enough to beat Zach Peterson (0-1) and the UIC squad.
Bryan Shaw relieved the LBSU starter, retiring the last two batters and picking
up his first save of the season.
Three consecutive singles led to two runs for LBSU in the fourth inning, an RBI
single by Brandon Godfrey, followed by a run scoring groundout by Tom Wolf. In
the fifth inning, LBSU made it 3-0 with a run-scoring fly-ball by Godfrey who
ended the night with two RBIs.
The third scoring stint for the Dirtbags was ignited by Robert Perry’s
single in the seventh inning. The second batter at the top of the batting order,
Danny Espinosa, who went 2-3 with two runs, added to the stretch with his second
single of the night. The two runs were then batted in by Evan Longoria’s
scoring groundout and an RBI double by Tito Cruz.
Even though UIC scored three runs in the ninth inning, the Dirtbags stayed focused
and managed to ride Hughes’ strong outing to a victory.
“
They did a nice job of putting pressure on us and sooner or later we made a
bad decision,” said Coach Mike Weathers on UIC’s final push. “When
you’re up five runs, all you want to do is get out.”
Sean Boatright tweaked his back before Friday’s game and for precautionary
reasons was not in the Dirtbag lineup Saturday.
The Dirtbags continued their offensive attack into Saturday’s game, beating
UIC 6-0. LBSU starting pitcher Andrew Carpenter pitched a complete game allowing
just one hit. Carpenter’s performance was the first one-hitter for the
Dirtbags since 1991 and only the fourth in school history.
Carpenter, a junior from West Covina, retired 14 batters in a row at one point
in the game.
The start of a Dirtbag rally came from the bat of catcher Kip Masuda in the second
inning when he hit a three-run bomb over the left field wall. Matt Cline and
Evan
Longoria followed with a pair of doubles to score two more runs. Joe Skinner,
starting pitcher for UIC, was pulled in the second only going one and two-thirds
inning and throwing 35 pitches. Ryan Martin came into relieve Skinner and went
three innings and gave up 3 hits and 3 walks.
Longoria went 3-4, including a pair of doubles, adding to the 11 hits overall
for the Dirtbags.
“
We got a pretty good start so far,” Espinosa said about the Dirtbag season. “Our
team is always trying to get better and we work hard all the time and it shows.”
The Dirtbags host UCLA Tuesday at Blair Field at 6:30 p.m.
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