The Dirtbags were brought back to earth after their season-high seven-game winning streak was snapped on Sunday afternoon.
Long Beach State (14-13, 2-1 Big West Conference) dropped the final game of its series against UC Riverside, 4-3, at Blair Field.
The Dirtbags had another solid pitching outing from starter Andrew Gagnon (2-3), who allowed four runs on just four hits in eight innings but were unable to take advantage.
“It’s uncharacteristic of how we’re playing,” head coach Mike Weathers said. “We had a starting pitcher who gave up just four hits … we just dug ourselves too big a hole early offensively with those opportunities we didn’t convert and defensively.”
Up 2-0 and getting four hits in two innings off Highlander’s starting pitcher Paul Applebee (3-1), it seemed like LBSU would complete the sweep considering how well it had played in the past seven games.
But UCR (18-8, 2-4 Big West) rebounded scoring four runs in the next two innings while the Dirtbags were unable to find hardly any offense.
Applebee shut out the Dirtbags in his next four innings of work, allowing just two hits and two walks.
The Highlander lefty went seven innings giving up two runs, striking out five and issuing three free passes.
“You don’t get a chance too often to sweep in conference and we had that opportunity,” Weathers said. “You need those to win [conference] championships.”
UCR took the lead in the fourth after Brantly laced a double — the first extra-base hit by the Highlanders in the series — off Gagnon to the right-center gap. This allowed Daniel Pellegrino and Michael Hur to come around to score.
Brantly went 2-for-3 on the day with two RBIs.
“It’s always disappointing when you can’t get the runs to help [Gagnon] out,” Krick said. “He pitched great.”
In the bottom of the ninth, the Dirtbags put the pressure on reliever Joseph Kelly, scoring a run via a TJ Mittelstaedt single and having runners on the corners with two outs.
Kelly, however, settled down and got Rylan Sandoval to groundout to end the game for his sixth save of the year.
“You get behind [and have to face] that kind of closer [and it’s tough] … we were looking for that fastball on the inside and he got jammed,” Weathers said.
With one out in the second, Kellen Hoime and Krick hit back-to-back RBI doubles to post the first runs of the game and to put the Dirtbags up two.
Krick went 2-for-4 on the day while Hoime posted a 1-for-3 mark.
“I just have been trying to keep doing what I’ve been doing, not really trying to change anything and keep the same approach,” Krick said. “I try to look at what the pitcher has to offer.”
The Highlanders knotted up the game in the third courtesy of a sacrifice fly and two Dirtbag errors.
Tony Nix hit a ball to center allowing Brian McConkey to tag up and score the second run of the game for UCR. McConkey reached third with a little help from poor defense after consecutive errors by Mittelstaedt and Derek Legg.
Legg had the ball slip through his legs, causing right fielder Mittelstaedt to field the ball. But he airmailed the ball over catcher Hoime’s head, allowing one to score.
LBSU threatened in the first with two runners on and one out. But Applebee buckled down for UCR and struck out the next two batters to end the inning.
The Dirtbags return to action on Tuesday to face San Diego State at Blair Field. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m.