March 30, 2008

Box Score

BERKELEY-- No. 11-ranked California (18-5-1) swept the season series from No. 4-ranked Long Beach State (17-7), winning the finale 4-3 on Sunday afternoon. The Dirtbags have now dropped four straight.

The bullpen gave up two runs to Cal in the seventh, after Jake Thompson (1-2) pitched 6.1 innings and left with a 2-1 lead in the seventh, only to see Cal score two more times to lead 4-1. Thompson struck out six and gave up seven hits, taking the loss.

Cal doubled their score in the seventh after a bases loaded sacrifice fly was dropped by leftfielder TJ Mittelstaedt, allowing two runs to score and make it 4-1.

Brandon Godfrey got the Dirtbags to within 4-3 with a two-strike, two-out, two-run single off of closer Matt Gorgen in the eighth. Danny Espinosa began the two-out rally with one of his two hits, as LBSU loaded the bases prior to Godfrey's hit.

Gorgen though pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save after getting pinch-hitter Ted Lemasters to fly out to end the eight.

Thompson worked out of trouble earlier to keep it at a 2-1 game. He loaded the bases in the fifth in a 2-1 game, and was able to get out of it with a strikeout of Josh Satin, the Bears leading hitter, and a groundout. Thompson got a strikeout in the second to strand another runner at second base in the sixth.

Back-to-back singles by Charlie Cutler and David Cooper gave Cal a 2-0 lead in the third inning. LBSU came back with an infield single by Travis Howell to cut the lead in half at 2-1 in the fourth. The Dirtbags had left runners in scoring position in five of the first six innings.

Brett Lorin (1-0, 0.00) is slated to start on Monday against Stanford in the first regular season meeting between the two top-25 programs at 4 p.m., before heading to Fresno State on Tuesday at 6 p.m. Tuesday's starter is to be announced.