Mired in a 1-for-19 slump coming into Saturday’s game with Pacific, Long Beach State right fielder TJ Mittelstaedt delivered the hit that helped the Dirtbags secure their fourth consecutive series win.
With the bases loaded, two out in the eighth inning and LBSU down, 2-1, the senior hammered the first pitch he saw from Tigers starting pitcher Jake Hummel off the left center field wall for a bases-clearing double.
Mittelstaedt’s hit sparked a two-out nightmare for Pacific as the Dirtbags (13-12, 2-1 Big West Conference) exploded for seven runs in the eighth inning — just one day after scoring eight in the eighth — to snatch the series with an 8-2 victory, giving them two consecutive comeback victories.
“I don’t know what it is with the eighth inning, but we can’t count on that, that’s for sure,” LBSU head coach Mike Weathers said. “We had some miracle eighth innings. Everybody in those innings got contagious, which is great, but what happened in the first six or seven?”
While the Tigers (17-9, 1-2 Big West) came in with the reputation of having a potent offense, the Dirtbags’ offense showed off its own explosiveness, scoring 15 runs in the eighth innings of the last two games. LBSU outscored the Tigers, 22-8, in the series.
The balanced effort saw eight of The Beach’s nine starters score a run and collect at least one hit. Mittelstaedt led the attack after going 1-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored.
“Coach [Weathers] gave me a good approach before I went up there,” Mittelstaedt said of his eighth inning double. “I pretty much swung as hard as I could at it. I wasn’t sure if it went out or not.”
Dirtbags starting pitcher Branden Pinder continued his recent impressive stretch, going 7.1 innings, allowing one earned run, striking out three and not issuing a walk. Reliever Jason Markovitz (1-0) backed Pinder to earn the win after locking down the Tigers for 1.2 innings and striking out one, while not allowing a hit.
Pinder has allowed just four earned runs in his last 28.1 innings, coinciding with the impressive outings produced by fellow Dirtbags starters. LBSU’s starting pitchers have allowed a total of nine runs — seven earned — the last five games, resulting in four victories.
The entire staff was especially stingy against the Tigers’ offense, which ranks first or second in the Big West in most major offensive categories.
“The name of the game all weekend was our starting pitching,” Weathers said. “All three guys against the leading hitting team in the conference gave up eight total runs.”
First baseman Steve Tinoco extended his hitting streak to 11 games after going 1-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored. Second baseman Matt Duffy added two hits with an RBI and a run scored.
Left fielder Jonathan Jones also contributed two hits with an RBI and a run scored. Jones made a fully-extended diving catch in the ninth inning to rob left fielder Matthew Carvutto of a leadoff double, along with any hope the Tigers had of mounting a rally.
The Dirtbags’ next game is on Friday when they travel to face UC Davis at 2:30 p.m.
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