GAME RECAP: Dirtbags Stun #12 USC, as Caleb Anderson Fans 9 in Victory at Blair Field

LONG BEACH, Calif. — The Long Beach State Dirtbags refused to back down from their crosstown heavyweight neighbors on Tuesday night, and graduate transfer right-hander Caleb Anderson delivered the kind of dominant performance that turns heads and flips scripts.

Anderson, the 6-5, 220-pound Menifee native, struck out nine USC Trojans over six scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and one walk while throwing 78 pitches. The former Fresno State Bulldog earned his second win of the season (2-5) in a gritty 5-3 upset of the No. 12-ranked Trojans at Bohl Diamond at Blair Field.

From the jump, the Dirtbags put pressure on USC starter Chase Herrell. Long Beach State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning and never trailed, adding two more in the fourth to build a 4-0 cushion. They tacked on an insurance run in the seventh to seal the deal.

Kaiden Smaka was the offensive catalyst, going 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, and three RBI. Jake Evans chipped in a 3-for-4 night with two runs scored and an RBI, while the rest of the lineup scratched out eight hits total against a Trojans staff that struck out 11 but couldn’t keep the Dirtbags off the bases when it counted.

USC managed just five hits on the night and didn’t push a run across until the seventh. Augie Lopez provided the only real noise with a two-run homer in the eighth, but by then the damage was done. Jack Basser added an RBI double in the same frame, yet the late rally fell short against Long Beach State’s bullpen.

After Anderson’s masterpiece, Jaxon Baker worked a scoreless seventh before Tyler Gebb closed it out over the final two innings, allowing two runs but stranding the tying run.

For Anderson, the night was a statement. Coming off a rough start against Cal State Fullerton just days ago, the big righty bounced back with his best outing in a Dirtbag uniform — nine punchouts, zero runs, and a stranglehold on a potent USC lineup that entered the night ranked among the best in the country.

Next up for the Dirtbags is a continuation of Big West play vs UC Riverside this weekend in a 3 game series. For USC, they look to bounce back in a tough Big 10 Conference 3 Game Series vs the Cornhuskers in Nebraska.