Dirtbags drop first game of the season

LONG BEACH >> The Long Beach State Dirtbags couldn’t finish off of the season-opening weekend sweep of Holy Cross on Sunday at Blair Field, as the Crusaders held on for a 3-2 victory.

Still working his way back from knee and hamstring injuries, sophomore pitcher Chris Mathewson got his first start of the 2016 season. However, the reigning Big West Freshman of the Year gave up three runs in the third iing, and the Dirtbags (2-1) couldn’t pull even.

The three Holy Cross runs were more runs than they scored in the other 26 iings of the series.

Both teams only had five hits apiece, but four of the Crusaders’ hits came in that crucial third iing when they took a 3-0 lead, Catcher Alex Voitik led off by a solo home run.

“I thought there was a lot of pressing today, especially late in the game when things got tight,” Dirtbags head coach Troy Buckley said. “The one thing we have to continue to improve on is being on time with pitches at the plate. I just didn’t think we were on time (today).”

Long Beach chipped away at the lead in the fourth, thanks to a leadoff single and stolen base from shortstop Garrett Hampson, who hit safely in all three games of the series. He scored on a throwing error by second baseman Cam O’Neill, cutting the deficit to 3-1.

Long Beach State is on the road Tuesday to visit No. 9 UCLA at 6 p.m. Then the Dirtbags come back for an eight-game homestand, starting next Friday at 6 p.m. against Arizona State.

NOTES >> The homer by Voitik is the first Mathewson has allowed at Blair Field. It’s also the first over the new fences at Blair Field, although the ball would’ve cleared last year’s ballpark dimensions, going up and over the outer concrete wall in left. ... The Dirtbags have yet to commit an error through three games this season ... This is the second straight series win on opening weekend for the Dirtbags and the third in Buckley’s six-year tenure.

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