Jj Fiddler Long Beach Will Once Again Be Well represented

A lot of college baseball eyes will be on Bohl Diamond at Blair Field this weekend as No. 25 Long Beach Country welcomes No. 6 Mississippi State.

The series starts at 6 p.m. tonight with lefty Adam Seminaris taking the mound for the Dirtbags and righty Carlisle Koestler going for the Bulldogs. Information technology continues at 3 p.k. on Saturday, and concludes at 11 a.m. on Sunday.

"That'south why I'm here," first-year autobus Eric Valenzuela said. "I wanted to come here and be part of playing teams like this on a big stage. It's got to be 1 of, if not the biggest series of the weekend in the state. I'yard gong to do my best to not let these guys get ahead of themselves."

The Dirtbags (6-two) have won 4 consecutive games and are off to their best start since 2008 when they hosted an NCAA Regional.

"We only have to keep doing what nosotros're doing," right fielder Calvin Estrada (above) said. "We have to keep the energy up and trust our system and nosotros should be fine."

That offensive arrangement is a complex 1 taught by acquaintance head coach Bryan Peters, and the keys are adjustments on a actor-by-player basis.

"In that location's never a swing without a purpose in our programme," Peters said. "We put in all of that stuff in the fall. Once they actually get it, individually and as a team, nosotros have a simplified approach. We give them an intense, hyperfocus and then they know exactly what their job is and what they want to get done."

The Dirtbags have a .360 on-base of operations percentage as a team, and 9 key players are hitting over .300 this flavour. LBSU is outscoring opponents 42-21, with an impressive 74-fifty advantage in hits.

"Information technology was a whole new system thrown at us and we all had to accommodate," Estrada said. "It's not so much my swing, per say, but more how I'm trying to manipulate the baseball."

The half dozen'1" 225-pound Estrada is hitting leadoff for LBSU and has a team-high eleven hits, six RBIs and four doubles.

"He'southward a abiding threat," Peters said of Estrada. "A ability and speed combination like Calvin, yous want that guy to come to the plate as ofttimes equally possible."

"Information technology's definitely different," Estrada said of leading off after years of trying to produce runs in the middle of lineups. "My chore is to go on base and find a way to score. I'm but trying to do my task. I beloved information technology. I get so many fastballs."

Redshirt freshman Connor Kokx and redshirt sophomore Leonard "LJ" Jones are as well off to a hot starts. Jones (beneath) hitting an opposite field abode run on Tuesday. Kokx in an impressive center fielder who has nine hits in 19 at bats.

"These young guys are stepping up and aren't scared of these ranked opponents," Estrada said after LBSU swept No. 17 Wake Woods. "They're trained and ready to go."

"Peters is i of the best offensive coaches in the country, and these guys have bought in," Valenzuela said. "It doesn't matter if we're first and 2nd with no torso out. Everyone is expecting us to bunt, and he lets them swing away. It'southward already an offensive-minded grouping, they take a skillful thing going and it's making us all look really good."

The Dirtbags pitching staff has also looked very skillful with a i.66 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 76 innings. Sabbatum starter Alfredo Ruiz (ii-0) hasn't given up a run in 14 innings. The sophomore lefty was named National Collegiate Baseball game Writers Clan (NCBWA) National Pitcher of the Week after his 10-strikeout flavor debut against Cal.

Seminaris (below) didn't pitch concluding weekend, but tossed a clean 9th inning on Tuesday.

Estrada said the impressive accommodating performance by the Dirtbags so far is a byproduct of the positive vibes from Valenzuela's staff.

"It's the type of energy they bring," Estrada said. "Anybody really bought into it completely. We all take skillful trust. Nosotros're not looking dorsum at last year."

"I respect everybody that has been hither before, but nosotros're never going to talk near the past," Valenzuela said of the last two seasons. "We really emphasize on the player and getting him correct and and so playing skilful baseball game. That's all we've washed. They're skillful players. This is Long Embankment State, man. You're one of the best players in the country if y'all put this uniform on, then it'south not the talent. Every bit you can see. Nosotros just have a positive environment, we work hard and these guys grinded."

Mississippi Country (6-ii) has lost two of its last three games after an undefeated start. All-American second baseman Justin Foscue leads his team with 13 RBIs, three doubles and a home run.

PODCAST: LB Fee Testify With Dirtbags Coach Eric Valenzuela

PODCAST: Is Long Beach Baseball Aristocracy Once more?

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Source: https://stage.the562.org/2020/02/28/preview-no-25-long-beach-state-dirtbags-hosting-no-6-mississippi-state/

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