The Big West’s top two pitching staffs went head to head over the weekend as the Dirtbags hosted the UC San Diego Tritons at Blair Field for three games.
The Tritons took the opener of this series by a score of 5-1 and jumped on the Dirtbags early.
UCSD tagged on their first runs by way of a two-run homer hit by senior left fielder Brock Kleszcz in the top of the second inning making it a 2-0 Triton lead.
Sophomore starting pitcher Myles Patton did not have his best outing as he allowed five runs through six and two-thirds innings, striking out nine and walking two, but the Dirtbags’ offense was not on its A-game.
The Dirtbags answered back and delivered their first and only run of the ball game through a double steal by junior right fielder Kyle Ashworth who stole home plate in the bottom of the sixth cutting the score 2-1.
UCSD added two more runs and an insurance run by way of an RBI single by senior shortstop Noah Sudyka made it a 5-1 lead for the UCSD.
The Tritons’ redshirt senior pitcher Izzak Martinez would shut down the dirtbags in the final two and a third innings, only allowing one hit and striking out three to secure the series opener for the Tritons.
The fireworks went off early Saturday night as the Dirtbags torched the Tritons 10-1 to even up the series one game a piece.
The Tritons were shut down by sophomore starting pitcher Kellan Montgomery who went six full innings, allowing one run on two hits and fanning nine Tritons.
“What Myles Patton and Kellan Montgomery have been able to do very consistently gives us a chance to win all the time,” head coach Bryan Peters said. “They show this warrior mentality that sets a great tone for the team.”
The Dirtbags started their slugfest in the bottom of the fourth as senior catcher John Newman Jr. launched a solo shot over the left field fence making it a 1-0 lead.
After the Dirtbags grabbed a 4-0 lead, sophomore third baseman Armando Briseno laced an RBI double down the right field line, making it a 5-0 Long Beach lead.
The Tritons finally scored their first and only run of the ball game through a solo shot homer hit by junior right fielder Nick Costello in the top half of the sixth.
Ashworth delivered the dagger to the Tritons as he crushed a no-doubt two-run homer over the right field wall, making it a 10-1 Dirtbags lead in the bottom of the eighth.
Freshman pitcher Nick Williams closed the door on UC San Diego as he pitched three scoreless innings, only allowing one hit and striking out three as he secured the victory for the Dirtbags and a save.
The Tritons took the rubber match Sunday afternoon as they secured the series win over the Dirtbags with a score of 6-3.
The ‘Bags jumped out in front in the bottom of the first inning as sophomore third baseman Ty Borgogno blasted a solo shot over the left field wall, making it an early 1-0 lead.
Long Beach would add on in the same bottom half of the inning as junior center fielder Alex Champagne would reach first on a fielding error by the Tritons, making it 2-0.
The Tritons would answer back immediately in the top half of the second as senior left fielder Brock Kleszcz kept his bat hot as he drove in two by way of an RBI double, tying the game 2-2.
From then on it was all Tritons except for Ashworth’s second home run of the weekend that made the score 5-3.
“Kyle Ashworth has been an absolute warrior and a soldier and a great at-bat all year long,” Peters said. “His mechanics are really good right now. That’s got him being able to hit the ball wherever he wants to.”
Tritons’ reliever Martinez shut out the Dirtbags in the final two innings to secure UC San Diego’s series win with a final score of 6-3.
“What I told the team right now is that regardless of how we feel, who we have, who we are, we weren’t good enough to win,” Peters said.
The Dirtbags look to jump back into the win column as they travel south to play San Diego State University on April 9 at 6 p.m.