I ain’t going to lie, staying indoors and watching the NFL draft was mighty tempting, especially knowing the boys were going to have a little house party starring crab cakes, jumbo shrimp and halibut, you know all the good stuff. But instead I choose to take advantage of this pristine Spring sunshine and head to the softball game and baseball game for a little real time coverage. It is just me, my Sidekick phone and you the readers. This is what went on in my head as the games progressed. Hate it or love it—but check it out.

12:57 pm Three minutes to game time and I am at the 7-eleven off Palo Verde and Atherton—buying water, gum and 100 grand chocolate…breakfast of champions.

1:02 walking through the gates to the softball venue, it looks like a packed house.

1:05 O.K. so despite me not being trapped inside watching the draft, I will be getting draft updates and analysis being texted to my phone from my little brother/ 14-year-old draft guru. Thanks, bro.

1:06 First pitch from freshman phenom Brooke Turner. I will mention that I wrote a piece on Turner last week for the Union Weekly, a CSULB student ran publication and I honestly we jinxed her. She had not given up more than two runs all year and she gave up six (but still picked up the win) her first outing after the article. Sorry Brooke, but I got a feeling she will bounce back as she gets the UC Riverside leadoff hitter to beach slap a grounder to second base for easy putout.

1:07 Oh yea, the Lakers game will be starting in a while. I got to find someone who will keep me posted on that. I’m on it.

1:09 Brooke’s first strikeout of the game, I bet my left arm it won’t be her last.

1:10 Back to Back K’s and I stay connected. I guess I should mention the one man wrecking crew known as “SuperFan” is in the building!

1:11 First inning break song, “What is it” by Baby Bash, I scowl Roger, the Long Beach State softball SID. He is quite proud to be bumping the song. It is early, he will redeem himself.

1:12 Jessica beaver leading off for the Beach. Im going to plug the one on one I had with her last week. Grat personality, great player. And I guess I should mention she told me last night at the Dirtbags game that she is only two RBIs away from break the LB softball record. And before I could finish typing this she lines out to first on first pitch.

1:14 Jonae Perez up for the Beach and she reaches base on a wacky play where on a 3-2 pitch, the catcher threw to first thinking it was strike three—but it wasn’t, get in the game! And so the blue charge her with a ball and gave Perez the base. This wont be the “only in softball” moment of the game.

After trading down with New Orleans the New England Patriots select Jerod Mayo from Tennessee. Check out this story which features a interesting anecdote base on a Mayo interview, showing how anal and what a joke the draft process is.

1:15 Batting third, catcher Brooke LeSage. Singling sharply up the middle, Brooke LeSage! She is as consistent as they get. Perez to second, mini rally.

1:16 This brings up Jennifer Griffin, who is smashing the ball right now. But of course I jinxed her as she just got under the pitch skying a fly ball.

1:17 Danielle Linke up hitting as the designated player, the softball version of the DH, chops one to first for easy put out.

1:19 In between innings, nothing happened.

1:20 I come to realize that this is not a packed crowds, just that all the softball parents took over the top row of the bleachers—umbrella in hand. But still a decent size crowd. I wonder how many softball dad’s didn’t make it out to the game instead choosing to watch the draft and playoff basketball. Probably none, these parents are hardcore.

1:21 Bills select Leodis McKelvin, cornerback, Troy University.

1:21 Another K for Turner. She makes it look so easy and effortless.

1:22 Four punchouts in a row now, tying the Long Beach State single season strikeout record. Yes, a freshman pitcher jus tied and will break the single season strikeout record with an estimated five starts left in the regular season. Man, I might witness two softball records being broken in one game. Wish you were here yet? Probably not, it’s hot.

1:24. Superfan air guitar with foam finger between innings. A classic SF move.

1:25  Lacy Tyler rips  a single up the middle. So again I got some good inside information on the Riverside softball squad, They cant pitch but can hit (Thanks Bridgette) and to this point they cant do either.

1:27 Second baseman Ashley Levine up trying to move Tyler over. Instead she walks on a full count. Mini-rally alert.

1:28 Breezy Goad up and Coach Kim Sowder wants a word with her. Hmm, how long does it take to say “get the bunt down?” Well she did. Runner on second and third one out.

1:29 Franny Morlet up. Franny is a left-handed slap hitter who was taking some big swings in the on deck circle—righty. Here is some more inside scoop for you readers, she hit a homerun the other day during voluntary BP (even if did barely go over) right handed. Just trying to make myself sound like a real reporter. But anyways she is fast therefore in softball must bat lefty—its in the rules or something.

NFL Draft update: Jonathan Stewart running back from the University of Oregon jus got picked up by Carolina.

1:30  Franny and UC Riverside pitcher number 18 (Riverside players names not need apply to avoid confusion) got a good battle still brewing. Big number 10 for the Beach drew the walk. Bases loaded, one out. Leaves it to Beaver (sorry, I had to).

1:32 On second thought don’t leave it up to her as she strike’s out. But she is not getting cheated on any swings though.

1:33 Perez up now and Illinois running back Rashard Mendenhall still on the draft board. Am I missing one of the most unpredicatable, trade happy draft in the modern era? Naw, just another year of GM’s overthinking ignoring common sense. Oh yea, bases still loaded.

1:34 Perez walks in a run. Easiest RBI of her life. Beach up 1-0. LeSage pop up ends the rally.

1:37 Top of the third inning and I’m half-bodied in the press canopy and half out in the sun. Im gonna end up with the worst farmer tan ever. Oh yeah Frank Burlison in the building- doesn’t seem too happy to be here.

1:41 #1 for UCR up and has the honor of being the record breaking victim. A fastball that painted the outside corner. That gives her 192 on the year. One-nine-two, crazy.

1:43 But she ain’t done yet, striking out #5 for UCR. She didn’t have a chance.  

1:48  Nothing brewing for the Beach’s bats but with two outs Lacy Tyler rips a rope to left only to denied a hit by UCR #7, good diving catch, I guess I could mention her name, but I wont.

1:49 More of that Softball mixtape. Can we construct the ultimate softball mixtape here at the LB Post? Send in your thoughts.

1:50 #7 leading off the fourth inning for UCR, how many times you see a player make a great catch in the field followed by a hit? Well I don’t know the answer to that but she just did it slapping a roller past Beaver who was cheating towards third base side. .

1:52 Second inning in a row the leadoff hitter gets on for UCR…Now # 12 bunts her over (wait–#12 is Marissa Alvidrez, in the stats sheets it says she is hittin .439 with 9 hr’s and she is bunting in the fourth!! Gotta love softball). Turner to first for the putout, oh snaps-she can throw over hand. I wonder how hard she can throw over hand—Zoom can we make this happen?

1:53 Pesky hitter #15 up fouling off bombs. But then cant smack the drop curve by Turner. Strike three, peace out!

1:56 UCR #11 up and smacks a two out single in 5.5 hole, Beaver got a glove on it but still scurried into left field bringin in a run. One up and the head coach for UCR proves why I won’t be a good softball coach, the run scored cause she bunted with her best hitter.

1:57 Wild Pinata swing sits down the next Riverside hitter.

2:00 Bottom 4th, Levine hits one up the middle for Long Beach and the UCR shortstop makes a diving stab but doesn’t get up. Instead she just laid there. It turns out to be a shoulder injury but she stays in the game.

2:05 So after the delay and 802 practice swings by Breezy Go she gets a chance to hit with pinch runner Casey Burba at first. Goad K’s I blame fatigue from waiting.

2:06 Franny Morlet up and she is swinging away as well. Didn’t coach Sowder watch the previous inning? Small ball. Yes, I am a small ball believer now after what UCR did last inning. Franny chops one to second moving Burba over to second with two outs. Leave it to Beaver once again.
 
(Fast Forward to the bottom of the fifth)

2:19 Brooke LeSage up again a parent earlier made a comment that Brooke needs to get a Big West player of the week award soon. I agree. Lesage catches every pitch, hits every pitch and is a cool person. But being cool wont get you a hit as she lifts a drive to the left field warning track. .

2:20 Griff is up now. Imposing figure in the box who is fresh off her BW player of week award. She walks intentionally-unintentionally on 4 pitches.

Fast Forward to the bottom of the seventh, still 1-1 and trust me you didn’t miss much but more Tuner strikeouts.

2:37. Its still hott.—who do you got to talk 2 to put a roof over the softball stands? C’mon.

2:38 It’s walk off time and last time I was here the ‘Niners beat then ranked no.5 in the nation Florida team in extra innings. Lets hope this one is done in seven.

2:39 Franny leads off with a single up the middle.

2:40 Beaver is up and would love to end this game with one swing, but instead she drops a bunt right at the firstbaseman who gets the out at second. One down, Beaver on first.

2:42 Perez up and draws another 3-2 count before walking for the thirs time today. Beaver to second.

2:43. Brooke LeSage up. And im changing my mind, this is who I want up in this situation-sorry Linke. LeSage drives a 0-1 pitch passed a diving thirdbaseman and SS—Sowder is waving her arms frantically like Superfan and his air guitar as Beaver slides in with her hand touching home plate for the win. Does it matter that the throw almost reached the stands? No. LeSage comes through and we avoid extra-innings. Turner improves her record to 22-4 striking out 11 today and only giving up three hits.

2:50: No postgame interviews until the second game is over, sucks for me cause im going to Blair to watch the rest of the baseball game. Ah well, I see LeSage on my way out say congrats and she says “Hi Sergio.” Told you, cool. Game one over, Mendenhall and every receiver still gone undrafted. Chargers pick almost up…its all good.

[post game notes: The ‘Niners swept this afternoon double header with Riverside winning the second game 4-3. Bridgette Pagano did it on the hill and at the plate for the ‘Niners picking up her 13th win in the circle and hit her first home run of the season. (extra note- Pagano told me that last season she hit a home run at Riverside, subliminally predicting she would hit one out today, if she got an at bat). Softball goes for the sweep today at 1 p.m.]

3:01 Driving to Blair. A few innings late. But ill be there. Make sum phone calls to see what is good with the draft. Notorious B.I.G Ready to Die album on the deck.

3:11 Get to stadium still on phone with little brother discussing the chargers selection of Antoine Cason, a cornerback from the University of Arizona. My brother likes the pick and so do I. Not just because Cason is a Long Beach native who attended Los Alamitos, he had five picks plus returned two punts for touchdowns last season. Welcome to the Bolts.

3:12 Anyways the Dirtbags are up 5-2 in the bottom of the third. I get here jusy in time to see TJ Mittelstaedt strike out followed by a moonshot lifted out the park by Jason Corder. Off the top of my head that is his tenth HR this season.

Dirtbags up 6-2

3:17 Vance Worley delivers a pitch…I can’t lie I haven’t seen him pitch much but his fastball is as flat as the 2-liter of Pepsi stored in my fridge. 

First guy gets infiel single off worleys glove. Then he pegs a batter followed by a sharply hit single to load the bases. A fielder’s choice scored a run. Worley show flashes of his last two three outings working the inside part of the plate effectively. He then gives up another rip in the gap, score now 6-4

3:28 Worley still on the hill. A poke down the lf line by a skinny lefty scores another run. 6-5 dirtbags. During the AB there was a foul ball lined into the Pacific stands as a older male dropped to his stomach on the bench. “You dropped your lipstick Nor cal” heckles a 49er faithful. Never fail to surprise me.

You know what bugs me, is that we still clap for pitchers who get pulled after getting shelled. Yea, you show respect and they are trying hard no doubt. But trust me, no one wants to hear claps after getting rocked. I did not clap for Worley gettin pulled. In comes David Brown with little sidearm action.

Superfan leads the “were not gonna take it” song for the crowd. How did he beat me here?

3:31- First pitch from Brown slammed up the middle to score two more runs. 7-6 pacific. Really?

3:37 #16 for Pacific up, still in the fourth. I should have stayed at the softball game. And I get the text that the first round is over. There were numerous trades and some unpedricatble picks—# 16 works a walk—picks by teams but it was kept under four hours for the first time in a long time. Congrats NFL.

3:39 The baseball day games on weekends are much more family oriented than Friday night college night that goes down at Blair.

3:40 Another walk, I couldn’t even write down the guys number who walked. This is a long inning. Coach Dave Snow makes the walk out to the mound to call for reliever David Roberts. Claps for Brown—why?? For not getting an out?? I don’t get the kindness.

3:42—During the pitching change, I should mention how important the bullpen is in baseball. Its the least sexiest position on the club but like that of a offensive guard in football they are crucial in a team’s success. Especially in games like thiscan either keep you in games, screw it up or hold your leads. I can’t think of any clever analogy for I need a drink to hydrate-but ill get back to it.

3:46 The third out is finally recorded. Just to add, can parents leave their little kids,who want absolutely nothing to do with baseball, at home. Besides being disruptive they have no purpose at the field–when we all know they rather be home playing wii.

3:50- top of lineup, JJ chopper to short who airmailed the throw and JJ is on first no outs. Tweedy up now

3:51 A little first to third action for the Dirtbags as Tweedy single to right. Tweedy has been solid at bat since he came back from a finger injury, he just seems to be be more comfortable, swinging at good pitches.

3:52 Steve Tinoco reaches on a fielder’s choice. Runner cant score on the grounder to third. 

3:53 Shane Peterson up hacking. Some youngsters behind me sit down and say “hey this our best hitter huh” and his buddy answers “no number eight, Espinoooo-sa is.” The initiator then asks if they knew about Peterson hitting for the cycle a couple of weeks ago. But I want to know if they saw his grand slam last night.

3:56 Strike ‘em out—throw ‘em out. Inning over.

3:58 Top of the 5th and people are already leaving. No bueno. # 3 up for pacific. He’s like 5’1″—in heels. He is listed on the Tigers website as 5’8” very generous of them. All I remember was a heckler from yesterdays game yelling “if they make his uniform in men’s sizes?” it was a lot funnier in the moment-plus a few beers in.

4:00 The scoreboard goes blank as #3 shuts me up and ropes a double in the right center gap. #20 follows him with a single. 8-6 Pacific

4:04 Thinking about trying one of the ballparks delicious churros–excuse me “pastry sticks.”  Baseball is not a good sport to do this minute by miunte journal. Way too slow, wonder how softball is doing?

4:07 #15 for the Tigers smacks a single to right. My ear are starting to get sore from the alloy “ping.” Roberts pulled. I hope Mike Weathers got the memo that I’m well rested and got a few innings in me. But lefty Adam Wilk will do.

4:08 Side note pacific have four errors and we are still losing.

4:12 # 9 up for Pacific, one out, double down the leftfield line to score two.  10-6 Pacific.

4:14 The Dirtbags that couldn’t beat the High School squad from across the street. Corder makes a running catch down the RF line, I got a feeling that Corder gots one more bomb in him.

4:15 Its gotten so bad that my brother stopped texting me. On a good note, the Lakers are up 61-50.

4:16 Danny Espinosa up and is 1-2 with a 2b. He gets a single up the middle that the shortstop couldn’t field.

4:17 TJ is up and swinging at balls in the dirt like Lorena Ochoa on the rough.

4:24 I got off a phone call and the Dirtbags got two and runners on first and second with catcher Travis Howell up. Full count and SF is still cranking it. Where does he get the energy? Got to give credit to the pacific scouting as they shaded their CF towards right to catch a Howell drive that honestly—should have been in the gap.

4:25- I got a feeling that if I leave the Dirtbags will pull out the W. I will be honest with you, I want to stay but its time for me to go. Ill catch the fourth quarter of the Lakers beatdown of the Nuggets. Peace!

Note: The Dirtbags put together a rally for the ages on this day—your welcome for leaving—and  pulled out a 14-13 victory. As much as I would like to say, I wish I stayed—I don’t cause they would have lost, oh yea and Corder did hit another home run. Big win for Long Beach State who go for the sweep today at 1 p.m.