LOS ANGELES — In an offensive role reversal against one of the top hitting teams in the nation, the Dirtbags exploded for 16 runs on 18 hits en route to a 16-4 victory over No. 5 UCLA (27-6) at Jackie Robinson Stadium on Tuesday night.
The victory came nearly two months after Long Beach State fell, 10-1, to UCLA at Blair Field.
The Dirtbags (16-17) hit a season-high six home runs and was one run and one hit short of their season highs in those categories, and they did it against a Bruins pitching staff that came in with a 2.44 team ERA.
Designated hitter Jordan Casas led the power surge with a 3-for-5 outing with two home runs and four RBIs.
After going homerless in his first 92 games as a Dirtbag, Casas has now hit three in his last two outings. The junior has caught fire, going 8-for-17 with three home runs, eight RBIs and five runs scored in his last four games to raise his average to .277.
“I started off in a slump and it is tough when you’re in the dumps,” Casas said. “I’m just attacking the ball and things are going my way, I guess. My confidence has gone up a lot.”
The six homers and 16 runs were the most surrendered by UCLA pitching in a single game this season.
“Oh gosh, now I know how Riverside must of felt over the weekend, they hit a lot of home runs against us,” LBSU head coach Mike Weathers said. “The ball was carrying really well tonight and we have some guys that are swinging the bats really well.”
The Dirtbags’ offense got going in the second inning when right fielder TJ Mittelstaedt led off with a full-count home run. Casas came up after Jonathan Jones popped out and hit one over the right field fence to give the Dirtbags a 2-0 lead.
After the Bruins tied it in the third, Jones came up in the top of the fourth and drove a full-count pitch over the left field wall.
The Bruins countered with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 4-3 lead.
The Dirtbags’ offense answered by exploding for eight runs in the fifth to put the game out of reach, marking the fourth time this season that LBSU has scored seven or more runs in one inning.
The inning included RBI singles by shortstop Devin Lohman and Jones as well as a pair of three-run home runs.
One homer was by third baseman Joey Terdoslavich and the other was a laser hit by Casas that ricocheted off the light pole in right field, bounced off a wall 15 feet behind the outfield fence and landed back in the park.
“I was facing a lefty and I haven’t really faced any lefties this year,” Casas said. “He got ahead of me on that first fastball and I was just thinking that ‘I gotta drive it.’ I just wanted to bring in the runs and it just happened to go out of the park.”
The Dirtbags added four more runs in the seventh on a three-run home run by second baseman Kirk Singer and an RBI single by first baseman Steve Tinoco.
Jones scored the 16th and final run in the eighth when he doubled and came home on an RBI groundout by catcher Kellen Hoime.
Although overshadowed by the offensive outburst, the Dirtbags’ bullpen was very effective as four relievers held the Bruins scoreless over the final five innings after starter Eddie Magallon (1-1) pitched four innings and gave up four runs.
“I think this is a huge step for us, especially (considering) how inconsistent we have been,” Casas said. “[The Bruins] don’t lose to many teams like they did today. Especially here.”
Weathers agreed with Casas, saying that the game is all about confidence and after a tough weekend against Riverside, the Dirtbags needed a win like Tuesday’s.
“This is good momentum going into a big weekend for us against Santa Barbara,” Weathers said.
The Dirtbags open the three-game set against UCSB at Blair Field on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
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