Feb. 7, 2004
BERKELEY, CA - The No. 26 Cal baseball team struggled in its second game against No. 9 ranked Long Beach State, losing 5-1 Saturday at Evans Diamond. Cal goes to 3-2 on the year, while the 49ers improve to 2-0. The Bears had lost to Long Beach State, 3-2, on Friday.
The 49ers had jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a RBI single by Troy Tulowitzki off of Cal starter Kyle Crist (1-1, 5.3 innings, nine hits, four runs, one walk, two strikeouts). The Bears came back with a run in the bottom of the first on a lead-off single by junior second baseman David Nicholson and a RBI double by sophomore third baseman Allen Craig to tie the game, 1-1. That was as close as Cal would get - surrendering single runs to Long Beach State in the third, fourth, sixth and eighth innings - while only getting three more hits the rest of the day. The Bears' pitchers did force the 49ers to leave 14 runners on base.
The winning pitcher for Long Beach State was sophomore left-hander Cesar Ramos, who threw 6.3 innings with five hits, one run, three walks and one strikeout. Brian Anderson got the save for the 49ers, pitching the final 2.7 innings with no hits, no runs, one walk and four strikeouts.
Long Beach State's top hitter was Mike Hofius, who was 3-for-5 with a RBI in the eighth inning. Jason Vargas, Tulowitzki, and John Bowker each had two hits with a RBI for the 49ers, with Bowker hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning. Freshman John Gardiner also had a pair of hits for Long Beach State. Cal's top hitter was senior shortstop Jeff Dragicevich, who was 2-for-2 with two doubles.
Cal will next host Long Beach State in the third game of the three-game series, Sunday, Feb. 8 at 1 p.m. at Evans Diamond.
Home Runs:
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LBS: Bowker, solo home run in the fourth.
Cal: None.
