As different as they are–one large and inexpensive state university, one small and expensive private university–Pepperdine and Long Beach State seem to mirror each other at times at least this spring in baseball. The Waves roll into town at 24-23 and the Beach is just behind one game under .500 at 24-25. The Niners have six conference games left, three this weekend at home and three at Irvine. Pepp is on the road at Portland but neither the Waves nor the Beach have any realistic post season dreams.

The Dirtbags (and yes, you have my permission to use that nickname regardless of record) went 3-1 last week, beating the Waves on the road in Malibu on Tuesday before taking their first Big West series with Hawaii over the weekend. Junior Jeff McNeil led Long Beach State on the week, hitting .625 (10-for-16) with six runs scored and four stolen bases, while Juan Avila drove in five RBI on the week.

Other highlights included the start Friday by junior Shane Carle, who finished the first complete game for Long Beach State on the season. Going the distance, Carle scattered seven hits and allowed two runs while striking out seven in a 6-2 win. What’s left for LB is this non-conference dance and then the final Big West series with up and down UC Riverside over the weekend. First pitch Friday is scheduled for 6PM, with a Saturday game set for 2PM before a final 1PM start on Sunday which is also the final home game for Long Beach State’s four seniors, all four of whom have had big roles in 2013. Third baseman Juan Avila is second on the team with 24 RBI despite missing 12 games, and Zach Miller has started 18 games behind the dish for LBSU in 2013.

Among the pitching staff, southpaw Landon Hunt leads the team with 23 appearances out of the bullpen, while Eddie Magallon, who along with Avila is a four-year letter winner, has 12 saves entering the week in his Dirtbag career while posting a 3.45 ERA during the 2013 season. Both teams have their own favorite Yamaguchi, Jeff of Lakewood for the home boys and Wave catcher Kolten Yamaguchi. Their Yama leads his team offensively with a .312 batting average with four home runs and is backed up by powerful Austin Davidson (.310 and slugging .484 with six homers.) The pitching edge may stay with the Niners who, like most Big West teams, have more depth than others. Eric Karch, who took the start last Tuesday in Long Beach State’s 5-3 win over the Waves, will be on the mound again for Pepperdine. (That win gave the Dirtbags a 66-61-2 all time edge.)

MIXED DUSTING–Pepperdine swept the 2012 baseball season series vs. Long Beach State for the first time since 2006…this year the Beach hits .263 as a team and the pitching staff owns a 3.70 ERA and are heading for a fifth place finish in their league…through 18 league games, Pepperdine sits tied for fifth place with Saint Mary’s at 9-9. The Waves and the Gaels are a full game behind fourth-place Brigham Young (10-8)…the latest high profile mix-up with Pepp and the Beach was in ladies sand volleyball which the Waves won last year and the Niners this year…in fact yesterday was ring sizing day for the 49ers…Both schools have made efforts to lure alumni bucks via athletics but it looks like the Waves are going to up the ante soon…Their brass has already ordered a new floor at Firestone Fieldhouse, a new pool fixes for their exceptional men’s water polo and women’s swimming teams…and are breaking ground on a new multi-purpose field house where the soccer field currently is…soccer field will be moved with various improvements…young basketballer Deng Deng has picked Cal State Buck Owens (that would be Bakersfield) and although I hear that Mssrs Freeman and King are not returning, I think the issue is not academics but…this weekend is a big one for James Ennis who will try to play his way into the first round of the NBA draft in the Chicago elite invite…officially known as the NBA Draft combine, the list includes some other west coast and national names…Allen Crabbe 6-6 190 SG California ; Seth Curry 6-2 180 PG/SG Duke Sr; Brandon Davies 6-9 240 PF BYU Sr.; DeWayne Dedmon 7-0 250 C USC Jr.; Solomon Hill 6-6 230 SF Arizona Sr.; and Cody Zeller 6-11 240 PF/C Indiana …So.UCSB got a walk off win over Washington State and is hoping for a NCAA invite…but so are SLO and UCI…Brittany Hochevar the volleyball and pro tour ace of LB watched her brother Luke get the save for KC over the Angels…Angels new guy and old Dirtbag Jason Vargas goes tonight for the Halos…nice TV pictures of men’s track winning the Big West title up at CSUN—DR. DAN