Following a rough weekend in Arizona that saw the Long Beach State baseball team get swept for the first time all season, the Dirtbags and Shawn Stuart returned in stunning form as they pitched their way to a 4-2 victory against No. 13-ranked UCLA on Tuesday night at Blair Field.
Stuart (3-3), who had fallen out of the weekend rotation after being tabbed as the Saturday starter earlier in the season, threw a five-inning shutout while allowing just two hits.
The effort also ended the Dirtbags’ three-game skid, all at the hands of Arizona State.
“By the time [Stuart] was done he was in a real nice groove there,” LBSU head coach Troy Buckley said. “I was thinking [of pitching him] only three innings tonight, but the way he was throwing the ball was good.”
Meanwhile, LBSU’s (24-22) bats acted quickly, putting up two early runs off UCLA (27-17) in the first inning. Freshman Ino Patron sent a pitch from UCLA’s starter Zack Weiss (5-2) to right field for the sacrifice fly that plated Matt Hibbert. Matt Duffy would drive in Jeff McNeil moments later for the second LBSU run in as many batters with his single up the middle.
Long Beach would score the next run of the game in the third inning after a groundout by Johnny Bekakis drove in center fielder Brennan Metzger, who walked after Duffy singled. Metzger would soon reach third base on sheer hustle when Weiss sent a pitch clear over his catcher. Metzger, who was already attempting to steal second base on the play, saw the pitch and kept running to third before beating out the throw.
“I thought [our team] did a pretty good job today,” Buckley said. “It was a good team win. We played really good team defense all game, had good at-bats early. I’m really happy for them.”
Metzger, who was 9-of-19 since April 23, singled, walked and scored a run. The San Diego native also provided the Blair Field crowd of 1,367 with a highlight reel play as he tracked down a Cody Keefer drive to deep center field.
The Bruins scored their first run in the sixth inning off LBSU pitcher Jon Maciel. Jake Stassi, who began the inning on the mound for the Dirtbags, walked the first two batters and then allowed a single to UCLA right fielder Chris Giovanazzo. Maciel was called on to get the Dirtbags out of the bases loaded jam, but walked catcher Steve Rodriguez to give the Bruins their first run.
Maciel would go on to pitch 1 1/3 innings, striking out three and walking one.
UCLA would add one more run in the eighth inning when third baseman Cody Regis tripled to deep center field to begin the inning. Keefer drove in Regis with the sacrifice fly to Metzger.
Fueling the Dirtbags offensive output was catcher Mike Marjama, who singled and doubled to go with an RBI. Marjama left the game in the fifth inning when he appeared to cut his finger on an attempt to steal second base.
“He’s going to get stitches, so he’s at the hospital,” Buckley said. “I don’t think it’s a huge deal, but he might require stitches.”
The Dirtbags will return to Big West Conference play Friday against No. 9 Cal State Fullerton at Goodwin Field in Fullerton. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
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