Playing in the post season is often unequal parts of politics and performance. For the high profile (translated big buck BCS schools) their trump card is politics, and that is the problem for Long Beach State.

The 49ers WVB is in the Islands packing their newly minted four-match win streak to face No. 13 Hawaii who have a negative streak of two losses in a row and three of their last four. But here is the politics-, in the glorious past the NCAA would love to shuffle the deck to get LBSU in but the beauty contest has a lot more entries these days and with CSUN and UCSB now tied for first a fourth Big West team is in trouble. The NCAA members in that perfume-soaked room will likely not dip past the top three for invites to the post-season party.

Even considering the cold snap that has hit Hawaii he team has a POY candidate in Los Al alum Emily Hartong, leader of a powerful Hawaii attack that tops the Big West in kills, hitting percentage and assists. Hartong accounts for a conference-leading 4.65 of Hawaii’s 14.41 kills per set and Kalei Adolpho ranks second in the Big West with a .356 hitting percentage. Ali Longo’s four digs per set lead the squad and rank second in the Big West and Mita Uiato ranks second in the conference with 10.92 assists per set.

The Niner issue has been unsteady setting but sophomore Erin Juley who has 835 assists this season and a career total of 1,995 assists. That number ranks ninth all-time ahead of Joy McKienzie (1,743 assists from 1990-93) and behind Ashley Lee (2,437 assists from 2007-10). Juley will most likely become the ninth member of the Beach’s 2k assist club during the first set on Saturday.

Now away from the murky work of NCAA politics the now in fifth place ladies of Beach soccer have a clear but not easy route to the post-season–win both of their final two matches, Thursday in a Halloween drama with Fullerton and once again on Sunday at 2 p.m. vs. UC Riverside on Senior Day. Those two servings of home cooking put the Beach in the four team BWC tourney at third place with a NCAA automatic bid set aside for the winner. See, numbers are nice some times.

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BASEBALL BITS AND PIECES
Now a blasting of Beach baseball, which some readers say is an addiction akin to Kool Air, although I much prefer Crystal Light. Here is the SID release on recruiting, followed by the department’s announcement of the 2014 schedule (posted below). I like the sport and I like the coaches but the haters haven’t quite adjusted to the realities of college baseball in the local and national scene.

Baseball America recognized the Long Beach State Dirtbags’ incoming recruiting class as one of the top in the nation. The Dirtbags brought in 14 newcomers that will take the field in 2014.

The incoming class is highlighted by highly touted high school shortstop Garrett Hampson. Hampson earned a No. 84 ranking on Baseball America’s top MLB draft prospect list after a stellar high school career at Reno High School in Reno, Nev. Hampson was eventually drafted in the 26th round by the Washington Nationals but decided to attend Long Beach State.

Three incoming junior college transfers helped vault the recruiting class into a top ranking, according to the list published by Baseball America. Left-handed hurler Cameron Pongs, right-hander Jason Alexander and catcher Alex Bishop were all mentioned.

This year’s class was split evenly with seven incoming freshmen and seven transfers from junior colleges. Baseball America listed the Dirtbags’ class as one of the first 10 teams outside of its Top 25 classes in the nation. The Beach was one of two Big West schools listed among those top 35 schools. Florida brought in the top class in the nation, according to the publication.

The Dirtbags are currently in the middle of their fall season. The annual Dirt vs. Bags series will take place the weekend of Nov. 15-17, followed by a single home game against USC on Nov. 23.

Here is a list of newcomers to the Dirtbag program:

• Freshmen Garrett Hampson (INF, Reno Nev./Reno HS)
• Daniel Jackson (C, Pleasanton, Calif./Amador Valley HS)
• Cody Marshall(RHP, Long Beach, Calif./Los Alamitos HS)
• Austin McGeorge (RHP, Anaheim, Calif./Canyon HS)
• Tristan Mercadel (OF, Riverside, Calif./Riverside Poly)
• Austin Ponzi (RHP, Trabuco Canyon, Calif./Santa Margarita HS)
• Albert Perez (C, Hawaiian Gardens, Calif./Gahr HS)

Transfers:

• Jason Alexander (RHP, Windsor, Calif./Santa Rosa CC)
• Alex Bishop (C, Santa Clarita, Calif./College of the Canyons)
• Christian Belleque (RHP, Fullerton, Calif./Fresno CC)
• Zack Domingues (INF, Visalia, Calif./Cuesta College)
• Nolan Meadows (INF/OF, San Pedro, Calif./LA Harbor Ollege)
• Cameron Pongs (LHP, Chino Hills, Calif./Mt. SAC)
• Andrew Rohrbach (RHP, Valencia, Calif./College of the Canyons)