The Dirtbags’ contest with UC Santa Barbara was rolling along, before every baseball player’s biggest fear suddenly put a stop to the action on a 1-1 pitch.
The Gauchos’ starting pitcher Nick Capito – a Whittier native – was struck directly in the face by a screaming line drive off the bat of Long Beach State shortstop Devin Lohman.
Capito immediately hit the ground and remained motionless for some time after the play in the bottom of the fourth inning.
After a few minutes, the left hander was able to walk off the field with some assistance. Capito was seen standing in the dugout in the innings after the play and appeared to be fine.
It was a frightening moment, however, that sent silence throughout the crowd of 1,279 fans in attendance at Blair Field. Lohman was also visibly shaken when he reached first base, as he immediately squatted down and put his head in his hands.
The game eventually settled down and LBSU (18-17, 6-5 Big West Conference) used an eighth-inning rally to earn a series win with an 8-4 victory over the Gauchos.
“I hope he’s [Capito] okay, he was throwing real well against us,” Dirtbags head coach Mike Weathers said. “We were almost too aggressive against him and I think it came back to haunt us a little bit. I didn’t think we adjusted very well to him.”
Jordan Casas used a two-RBI double to right field to give the Dirtbags their first lead in the eighth inning. Brennan Metzger, who pushed his hit streak to 17 games, then smashed a double of his own down the right-field line to bring in two more runs.
The hit helped seal the Dirtbags’ first three-game winning streak of the season.
“A month ago, we were definitely down in the dumps, and just a real roller-coaster team,” Casas said. “We couldn’t have any type of consistency. … Today was a big game for us, not just to get that three-game streak out of the way, but it puts us in a good position for tomorrow.”
LBSU eventually took an 8-4 lead into the top of the ninth inning, before reliever Kenny Arnerich closed it out for the Dirtbags.
All attention turned to Capito, a transfer from Santa Ana College, as his teammates and coaches immediately ran out to aid the left hander after he was hit. LBSU head coach Mike Weathers, the Dirtbags’ trainer and LBSU athletic director Vic Cegles also made their way to the field when Capito was on the ground.
“It’s always in a pitcher’s mind,” Dirtbags starter Jake Thompson said about Capito. “When he got hit it was like, ‘I hope he’s okay,’ and it’s not about the base hit. … It’s one of those things that you can’t fear, but it’s in the back of your mind.”
The junior had all but shut down the Dirtbags, allowing just one hit before Lohman’s at-bat. Capito earned a no-decision as the Gauchos’ (16-17, 3-5 Big West) bullpen couldn’t hold on to two-run lead.
LBSU knocked Capito’s replacement Nick Loredo out of the game in the seventh inning when Metzger drove in the tying run with a single up the middle to put the score at 4-4.
Thompson pitched into the eighth inning, but walked Matt Valaika to start the inning and was taken out of the game after 113 pitches. His replacement, Chris Trout, came in and earned the victory for LBSU.
“Base hits are base hits … I feel I can do better,” Thompson said. “These types of outings really frustrate me.”
The Dirtbags go for the series sweep on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. as Branden Pinder (3-4, 3.86 ERA) is slated to start for LBSU and Jesse Meaux (5-2, 4.69 ERA) will take the mound for UCSB.
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