LONG BEACH – It was a timely win.
Andrew Liebel, who pitches like he’s late for an appointment to pick up his Super Lotto winnings, needed just 109 pitches and 2:12 on the clock Friday to give Long Beach State (29-17, 10-6 Big West) a big 3-0 win over UC Santa Barbara (30-18, 9-7) in the first game of an important Big West series.
The senior from Pomona allowed just five hits and walked two before 1,422 fans at Blair Field in pitching his second consecutive complete game shutout. He faced just three batters over the minimum as he was aided by three double plays and catcher Travis Howell throwing out a runner.
The Dirtbags had only five hits themselves off UCSB’s Mike Ford, but one of them was Jason Corder’s 13th home run of the season and 20th of his Dirtbag career, a two-run shot in the third. The win keeps the Dirtbags among the leaders in the Big West. They remain 2? games behind Fullerton in the Big West and only a game behind in the loss column.
“It’s the way I like to work,” Liebel said of his pace. “Keep a tempo, set them down quick, get a lot of ground-ball outs and get back to the dugout quick.”
Liebel threw his first career shutout last week, a six-hitter at UC Davis. He has now worked into the seventh inning in his 18 career starts. He’s won his last four decisions, allowing two earned runs and 23 hits while striking out 27. He now has thrown 201/3 consecutive shutout innings.
“His change-up was really good,” Coach Mike Weathers said. “All three of his pitches were working tonight. I like (his tempo) and the team likes it, too. The defense really likes it when he gets into his rhythm.”
A leadoff single by Brian Gump was erased in the first by a Danny Espinosa-Jason Tweedy double play, as was a leadoff single by Eric Oliver in the fourth, on a Rylan Sandoval-Jason Tweedy double play.
In the fifth, Liebel walked Patrick Rose, but Howell threw the Gaucho third baseman out trying to steal. Howell has now thrown out 17 of 34 runners attempting to steal and 11 of the last 18. Espinosa and Tweedy turned another single into a double play in the eighth.
The Dirtbags took a 1-0 lead in the first. Jonathan Jones laced a single to center, went to second on a hit-and-run groundout, and scored on Shane Peterson’s single to left.
They made it 3-0 on Corder’s home run. With two outs, Steve Tinoco singled to left and Corder lofted Ford’s fastball high over the left field fence and within a short chip shot of the 14th green at Recreation Park.
Corder’s home run makes him just one of eight Long Beach players with 20 career home runs.
He’s tied for sixth on the all-time list with Troy Tulowitzki and Paul Day. Those ahead of him are Jeff Liefer (30), Jaeme Leal (24), Terrmel Sledge (22), Bobby Crosby and Mike Zouras (21).
DIRTBAG NOTES: Vance Worley (5-3, 4.40) throws tonight (6 p.m.) against lefthander Mario Hollands (6-2, 2.97). The city will honor the 50th anniversary of Blair Field with a pregame ceremony and postgame fireworks show … Jake Thompson (2-4, 4.20), with two quality starts in his last three, meets lefty Chuck Huggins (7-2, 4.04) Sunday (1 p.m.) … Peterson is hitting .419 of late with 15 RBIs and 25 runs scored. Steve Tinoco, who had an 11-game hit streak snapped Sunday, had two hits and is hitting .389 in his last 14 games. … The Dirtbags are 10-3 in their last 13, and UCSB has dropped five of its last six.