I know by now most folks are tired of anything even remotely close to NIT picking. Certainly the good burghers and baseballers of Forty-Ninerville are ready to welcome one and all to their field of dreams for the first of six with Cal Fullerton. The aforementioned NIT stuff was wrapped stacked and put away on Wednesday night due to a big time men’s basketball beat down at Baylor and an unable-to-keep up home loss to Utah for the basket ladies. If you need actual scores try elsewhere.

Our attention this weekend at beautiful Blair is that locally renowned rivalry dance between the up and down Dirtbags and No. 8 Cal State Fullerton.  These count in the cash box but not in the Big West standings since it is the first of two series between the feisty rivals this season. (The official conference games are down there May 3, 4, and 5 but if you need beer with your baseball Blair is the only place.)  Both squads had mid week work, LBSU getting pounded on the road at San Diego State 12-2 with only Jeff McNeil having a pleasant trip and Rick Vanderhook and the F Hats were riding a 7 game win streak including Tuesday and Wednesday victories over Nebraska, 8-7 in 11 and 10-4 in regulation.

Last weekend the home boys broke out the brooms against Wichita State–a three-game sweep over the previously 11-5 Shockers. Shane Carle had a dominant performance on Friday Night, setting the tone by scattering three hits over seven innings, and giving the LBSU bats a chance to come alive late and grab a 4-1 win. Jake Stassi followed with another tremendous start, also allowing just one run in seven innings in a 3-1 win to take the series on Saturday, and then the offense came through on Sunday, as six different players had hits and Long Beach State held on to take a 5-4 win and complete the sweep. McNeil had six hits for the Dirtbags on the weekend, hitting .545 overall, while Michael Hill had a double and a triple among his five hits, and Jeff Yamaguchi added four for Long Beach State. With the three wins, the Dirtbags are now 8-4 on the year at Blair Field.

So far this year Tuffy has been effective with pitching (especially freshmen Thomas Eshelman and Justin Garza.) Garza is 5-0 with an 0.99 ERA, while Eshleman is 4-1 with a 1.29 ERA, both Top 5 in the Big West. Their hitting has been at least timely.  Senior Carlos Lopez is having a big year, averaging .351 with 11 RBI, while Michael Lorenzen is hitting .329 while slugging .544. In one of just a handful of series west of the Mississippi to have been played over 200 times, Fullerton leads the all-time series 130 to 80, (four of six last season, including the season finale to determine the winner of the Big West) but since 1989 LB has been very good.

Both teams play a version of Snow Ball, speaking of which the 20th anniversary of the 1993 College World Series team and Coach Snow and his lads will be honored in the park and at various libation stations in Belmont Shore.  Junior Michael Hill has been the bright spot for Bag offense throughout the 2013 season. In 21 games played, the shortstop is batting .371 (23-for-62) and has three doubles, four triples, and a home run, putting together a .597 slugging percentage, second-best in the Big West. Additionally, Hill has a pair of walks and three HBP, reaching at a .412 rate with an OPS just over 1.000 at 1.009. The junior begins the week sixth in the Big West in hitting.

After 21 games, the Dirtbags have one streak that stands out; Long Beach State has had excellent success against right-handed starters, going 8-5 overall on the year, but has gone 1-7 in games against left-handed starters, accounting for the team’s sub-.500 record. That includes both losses against Seattle, as well as the last two games against No. 20 Arizona State and Tuesday’s 12-2 loss at San Diego State. The overall average of the team has been similar against left-handed hitting, but that success has not transferred into victories. However, after dropping the first six, Long Beach State finally grabbed a win against a southpaw, fighting fire with fire as LHP Jake Stassi pitched seven innings to get the win Saturday against Wichita State.

In addition to the season opener against No. 2 Vanderbilt, the Dirtbags have again put together a tremendous schedule for the 2013 season. Long Beach State opened its home schedule by hosting the defending champions, No. 10 Arizona, and 11 out of the 21 teams on the schedule received votes in at least one poll entering the year. The Dirtbags also hosted Valparaiso and Seattle in weekend series before resuming two traditional series in Blair Field against Wichita State and a non-conference meeting with Cal State Fullerton. The Dirtbags also had a trip to No. 20 Arizona State on the schedule, and weekday contests with LMU, UCLA, USC, San Diego State, and Pepperdine. Finally, Long Beach State will host Cal State Northridge, UC Davis, Cal Poly, UC Riverside, and first-year member Hawai’i in Big West play.  It’s late and I am still on the road so thanks to the Roger and crew for notes scattered in the above.  Enjoy your hoop-free weekend.  DR. DAN