There really is nothing like snapping a losing streak. The Long Beach State Dirtbags did just that on Tuesday night against No.3 Texas Christian University, winning 7-0 at Blair Field.
The Dirtbags (7-8) treated the home crowd of 1,732 to a great game against TCU (12-4) that put a halt to their four-game slide after losing a game to North Carolina and being swept by Arizona State March 10-12.
Junior AJ Jones made his debut on the mound for the Dirtbags on Tuesday after sitting out the first month with a shoulder injury. Jones sat 88-92 with his fastball and mixed in a changeup along with a sharp breaking slider.
“We just wanted him to pitch healthy,” head coach Troy Buckley said. “He really likes to compete and he’s going to bring a lot of depth to our staff.”
Jones final line was: 3.0 IP, 1H, 2BB, 4Ks.
The junior starter was very effective against TCU, getting ahead of opposing batters and generating weak contact frequently throughout his debut.
“It’s definitely fun being back with the guys and making a difference,” Jones said. “All the hard work we have put in this season has led up to this so it feels good to get this one.”
The game began rather quietly offensively with only four hits in the first three and a half innings. In the bottom of the fourth, junior designated hitter Luke Rasmussen led off with a single into right field.
Junior left fielder Lucas Tancas followed with a triple hit just inside the first base line past a diving Luken Baker. Rasmussen scored easily on the play but opted to slide into home head first in celebration.
The next batter Domenic Colacchio grounded out to the TCU shortstop Ryan Merrill that allowed Tancas to score and give LBSU a two run lead.
That wasn’t all for the Dirtbags in the inning, however, as junior third baseman Ramsey Romano lifted a towering solo home run over the left field wall to pad the LBSU lead further.
“I knew their pitcher was going to challenge me,” Romano said. “I got ahead in the count and got a hanging changeup that I was able to stay on and keep it fair.”
The Dirtbags got some quality relief pitching from a few underclassmen who were inserted against a TCU team with a potent offense. Sophomore Eli Villalobos, freshman Connor Riley, and freshman Zak Baayoun all pitched well enough to keep the Horned Frogs from scoring.
“They all have good stuff,” Buckley said. “Every opportunity they have to pitch is getting them closer and closer to getting more confidence and consistency out there.”
The Dirtbags wouldn’t score again until the bottom of the eighth inning. Romano came up with two outs and the bases loaded and hit a hard line drive on a 2-2 pitch right through TCU third baseman Elliot Barzilli’s legs, scoring all three runs. The play was scored an error so Romano did not receive credit for the RBI’s, but did drive the final nail in TCU’s coffin.
The Dirtbags will look to turn the victory into a streak when they host to Washington State tonight at Blair Field.