Double • Back in the lineup after sitting out for a few weeks with a sore back, Sean Boatright starts Saturday’s game off with a double. Jeffery Patch / Online Forty-Niner


Witchita State shocks Dirtbags

By Daniel Kim
Online Forty-Niner
Staff Writer


With rain in the forecast, No. 23 Witchita State came to Blair Field to battle No. 21 Long Beach State with the Dirtbags losing Friday 9-0 and Saturday 8-7.

The Dirtbags might have benefited from some rain however, as they dropped the first game of the series to the Shockers 9-0 in front of 948 fans at Blair Field.

LBSU bats struggled against pitcher Travis Banwart who pitched a strong seven innings, allowing just four hits.

Dirtbag pitcher Jared Hughes was shaky early allowing three runs in the first inning and suffered his first loss of the year.

After Hughes retired the first two hitters in the opening inning, the next five Witchita State batters reached base. Second baseman Damon Sublett was the first runner aboard with a single to left. First baseman Derek Schermerhorn was then hit by a pitch. Hughes then surrendered three consecutive RBI singles giving the Shockers a 3-0 lead before most fans had a chance to get into their seats.

In the 4th left fielder Shawn Peterson poked a single into left field. Designated hitter Sean Boatright hit a towering flyball, but it was not enough to clear Blair Field and was caught on the warning track.

Shortstop Danny Espinosa drew a one-out walk in the 6th. Then a dropped ball by leftfielder Tyler Hill scored Espinosa, but home plate umpire Larry Randall ruled the play a foul ball sending Espinosa back to second base.

In the 7th the Shockers added another run on a RBI single by Sublett. Witchita State scored again on a throwing error by third baseman Evan Longoria giving them a 5-0 lead. Longoria’s error was his second of the year.

The Shockers scored four more runs to blow the game open in the 9th. The Dirtbags went quietly in the 9th giving Witchita State a 9-0 victory.

Witchita State took the second game of the series with a tough-come-from behind victory. The Dirtbags produced a five run rally in the 7th inning but wound up losing the game 8-7.

The Dirtbags were the first to score. Designated hitter Boatright started the 2nd with a double to left field. A single to left by Peterson scored Boatright for a 1-0 lead. Shocker starter Rob Musgrave was a bit wild in the inning. With one out and two on, Espinosa was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Musgrave hit the next batter Jordan Struble to force home a run giving LBSU a 2-0 advantage.

Witchita State got on the board in the 5th when right fielder Matt Brown scored on a single by Brandon Hall making the score 2-1.

The Dirtbags rallied for five runs in the bottom of the 7th. With one out and two on, Longoria bounced a single into left field scoring Struble. Pinch hitter Edgar Sedano was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to add another run. Peterson then lined a single into left field driving in two more runs and evening the score at 6. A sacrifice fly by pinch hitter
Brandon Godfrey gave the Dirtbags a 7-6 lead.

With the Dirtbags clinging to a 7-6 lead, the Shockers loaded the bases with no outs. Sublett hit a ball that looked like it was heading for the gap, but center fielder Robert Perry made a running catch. Blake Hurlbutt tagged from third to even the score at 7. The Shockers regained the lead on a RBI base hit to right by Schermerhorn.

The score stood at 8-7 as Long Beach State lost their second in a row to Witchita State. The Dirtbags fall to a 12-11 record.

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