FULLERTON — Long Beach State lost two outfielders, along with the game, as UC Santa Barbara completed a three-game sweep of the Dirtbags on Sunday at Goodwin Field.
Five pitchers took the mound for LBSU in a disastrous eighth inning as the Dirtbags fell to the Gauchos, 11-9.
Brennan Metzger and Jonathan Jones were both hit by UCSB starter Zachary Samuels to become the second and third Dirtbag outfielders to be injured in the series. Metzger was hit on the elbow in the fifth inning, and Jones was hit in the face in the sixth inning.
Jordan Casas was injured on Saturday while running down a fly ball in center field.
The injuries caused the Dirtbags to put players in different positions, but head coach Mike Weathers prepares his team for those situations.
“We play a lot of guys throughout the year,” Weathers said. “It gives them a chance to prove themselves … when guys go in it’s not like they haven’t played all year. I feel good about anybody that goes into the game.”
UCSB (27-19, 9-9 Big West Conference) tied the game 8-8 in the eighth inning on a triple by Steve Cook that drove in two runs. The Gauchos took the lead on a double by Ryan Cavan that brought in two more runs.
Charlie Ruiz (2-2) faced three batters, all of which came around to score, as he failed to record an out to take the loss for LBSU.
David Meals (3-2) earned the win for UCSB as he allowed just one run — a solo home run to Devin Lohman in the ninth — in 2 2/3 innings on the mound.
Lohman went 4-for-4 with a homer, RBI and a run scored to lead the Dirtbags (24-23, 10-8 Big West) on offense. Steve Tinoco went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and a run scored in the effort.
The Gauchos picked up where they left off Saturday by putting three runs on the scoreboard in the first inning. UCSB loaded the bases without an out to start the game on an error, hit batsman and a walk. The Gauchos used a sacrifice fly and two singles to take the 3-0 lead.
LBSU would come back in the top of the second inning with two runs. An error by the UCSB shortstop allowed TJ Mittelstaedt to score from third base. The second run came on a Taylor Krick sacrifice fly to deep right-center field that scored Lohman from third base.
UCSB put the leadoff man on base for the third consecutive inning, and the Gauchos made the most of the opportunity. The run came on a single to shallow right field by John DeAlba that scored Eric Oliver from third base to give the Gauchos a 4-2 lead.
After a scoreless fourth, the Dirtbags were able to take their first lead of the series in the top of the fifth inning.
Tre Dennis smashed a double to left-center that brought home Matt Avery, who came in for Metzger, all the way from first base. Dennis then scored on a Tinoco single to right field.
LBSU took the lead on a sacrifice fly by Derek Legg that allowed Tinoco to score from third base, giving the Beach a 5-4 lead.
LBSU extended its lead in the eventful sixth inning that was started when Jones was hit in the face. Without any outfielders left — and not wanting to lose the designated hitter spot occupied by Dennis — Weathers was forced to use Friday starting pitcher Adam Wilk as a pinch runner.
Wilk moved to third base on two sacrifice hits, and Avery walked to reach base for the Dirtbags. Both runners were brought in to score when Tinoco laced a single up the middle after a long battle with Samuels. The base hit pushed the Dirtbags lead to 7-4 at the end of six innings.
The Dirtbags will play next at UCLA on Tuesday with the first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.