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There are nights when the Long Beach State Dirtbags look like they want to win, and then there are nights like Saturday. After posting a season-high in hits and scoring 13 runs the night before, the Dirtbags were shut out 6-0 by Cal State Northridge on Saturday on Bohl Diamond at Blair Field.
“Northridge looked like they were playing to get into the Big West tournament,” Dirtbags coach TJ Bruce said. “They were looking like they wanted to extend their season, and unfortunately, I hate to say this, but I didn’t think we looked that way today. We were very relaxed and we weren’t on the attack.”
The Dirtbags (16-23) gave up nine hits through just the first four frames and walked three batters. The Matadors found their six run lead by the fifth inning.
“They came out as the aggressor both on the mound and they got started pitching,” said Bruce. “It always starts and ends with starting pitching and I think those guys most of the time set the tone. We were on our heels for most of the game from an offensive standpoint and a pitching standpoint.”
CSUN had a stellar performance from Jon Mocherman who pitched the first four innings with just one hit and no walks. Ryan Halamicek came in to relief and tossed another five scoreless innings with five hits and two walks.
LBSU finally found its match on the mound with pitcher Van Larson, who came in to pitch the final five innings to match his career-high. Larson scattered just one hit with no walks and no earned runs.
“I thought Van Larson did a good job,” Bruce said. “I think what he really did was save our bullpen for tomorrow to where everyone should be up tomorrow minus him. I thought he did a really good job adding and subtracting, having another pitch to go to in hitters counts other than a fastball. I think that was really good.”
Right-fielder Andrew Gauna delivered an RBI double in the first frame for CSUN before a Cameron Calvillo RBI single. Gauna finished ⅖ at the plate and hit another RBI single in the second inning.
Kyle Panganiban went 2/4 with an RBI and two runs including a solo home run to left field in the top of the third. Xavier Rios hit a 2 RBI double in the top of the fifth to give CSUN its 6-0 lead.
The Dirtbags drop to 10-13 in conference play and are now No. 7 in the Big West. Bruce says that he’s aiming to finish the season 15-15, which he believes should be good enough to make it into the Big West tournament.
“Howevere that looks, I don’t know how it’ll look. It’ll be on these guys. But I did tell these guys the truth. That’s what we have to get to. With watching the league and doing this thing long enough we’re going to have to get to 15-15 and we’ll make the Big West tournament. If we don’t we’ll probably be on the outside looking in. I think we have to come out on the attack a lot better than we did today.”
The Dirtbags will finish out their series against CSUN on Bohl Diamond at Blair Field on Sunday at 1pm.
