The frustrations of the 2018 Long Beach State baseball season reached an all-time high at Bohl Diamond at Blair Field on Saturday where the Dirtbags lost to UC Davis 3-0 in 10 innings.
LBSU (18-25, 4-7) wasted another stellar starting pitching performance, lost a team leader due to a disciplinary issue and left 15 runners on base in the defeat. The Dirtbags were going for their third consecutive win, something they haven’t done this year.
Dirtbags coach Troy Buckley agreed that the performance was a microcosm of this season that has been full of devastating injuries and missed opportunities.
“It was fundamentally poor,” Buckley said. “Outside of talent, we’re just not doing things right. Honestly, if I was in the stands I would say, ‘do these guys practice at all?’ and it’s frustrating.”
Andrews (3-7) pitched seven scoreless innings while striking out nine, walking one and allowing three hits. The junior lefty retired the first nine batters he faced and lowered his ERA to 2.75. The Dirtbags offense has only scored 22 runs in Andrews’ 11 starts, and only four runs in the last five starts.
“I feel bad for Andrews, he competed his butt off,” Buckley said. “I really like watching him complete, and obviously he’s talented.”
LBSU had 10 hits, but Shaq Robinson’s leadoff double in the ninth inning was the only hit for extra bases. He was stranded at third on a failed bunt attempt from backup catcher Antonio Torres, who was in the game because second baseman Jarren Duran was removed in the sixth inning after not running out a pop out with a runner in scoring position. Buckley said after the game that he didn’t have a choice in pulling Duran.
JJ Fiddler on X (formerly Twitter): “It’s now 10 runners left on base thru 5 inn. for the @LBDirtbags and second baseman Jarren Duran has been pulled from the game after not running out this pop fly to end the 5th inn.That’s what kind of year it’s been. pic.twitter.com/ttOX1IAtlb / X”
It’s now 10 runners left on base thru 5 inn. for the @LBDirtbags and second baseman Jarren Duran has been pulled from the game after not running out this pop fly to end the 5th inn.That’s what kind of year it’s been. pic.twitter.com/ttOX1IAtlb
“He’s one of our better players, and it hurt us as the game went along,” Buckley said. “But that’s not more important than the integrity of how you need to play the game. I’m sure he understands that now. And its unfortunate that his actions led to a decision. I’m not going to turn a blind eye to that. Doesn’t matter who it is, and Tulowitzki was the same way. It made us suffer today.”
Torres struck out on three pitches in the eighth inning with the bases loaded. LBSU was 3-for-22 with runners on base. Right fielder Steven Rivas had three hits, and first baseman Leonard Jones had two hits.
Eli Villalobos pitched two innings of scoreless relief for LBSU, but UC Davis (14-23, 6-8) scored three runs in the top off the tenth inning off of Dylan Spacke.
Buckley will start closer Chris Rivera (11 saves, 0.42 ERA) for the first time on Sunday.
