Report by LBSU

Long Beach State’s Branden Pinder was named the Big West Pitcher of the Week as announced by the conference office today. Pinder is the first Dirtbag pitcher to be selected for the award this season.

A sophomore from Torrance, Calif., Pinder pitched the best game of his career on the road at UC Davis to help Long Beach State pick up a split during a doubleheader Saturday. Pinder allowed three hits over a complete game shutout, in the process giving Long Beach State its first shutout of the season.

Pinder worked the game in exactly 100 pitches, and faced only three batters over the minimum in the contest. He also didn’t allow a hit over the last five innings of the game, with only one runner reaching base as a hit batter.

Pinder joins infielders Steve Tinoco and Joey Terdoslavich as Dirtbag winners of a Big West weekly award this season. The transfer from Santa Ana College is scheduled to next pitch this Sunday against UC Riverside.