The Long Beach Coast has had an eventful inaugural season, most recently becoming the first Pioneer Baseball League team to reach 50 wins. With PBL playoffs just a month away, the Coast took their foot off the gas and had a quiet week on the diamond.
Long Beach spent the first week of August on the road, playing six games against the Glacier Range Riders. The Coast started the series with the same momentum they’ve had all season, taking the first two contests in 6-3 and 14-6 wins, respectively.
In the first victory, it was third baseman Benjamin Rosengard who led the offensive charge. Rosengard went 2-for-5 at the plate with two RBI doubles to push the Coast ahead. Overall, it was a team effort with strong performances in the box and on the mound that fueled Long Beach to the 6-3 triumph.
The Coast’s next win proved to be no different. A team effort and heads-up baserunning allowed Long Beach to secure their 14-6 win over the Range Riders.
Center fielder Emilio Corona set a team-record with four stolen bases in Wednesday night’s game. Shortstop Anthony Mata was right behind Corona, stealing three bases of his own.
With runners on base, the Coast shined at the plate. Throughout the game, Long Beach loaded the bases three times, each resulting in four runs scored in the 4th, 8th and 9th innings.
These strong offensive performances shown through the Coast’s 18 hits propelled Long Beach to the 14-6 win.
The Coast faltered in their next contest, falling in a 21-2 blowout. This time, the Range Riders took control at the plate and totalled up 25 hits compared to Long Beach’s 9 on the day.
Long Beach’s bats didn’t stay quiet for long, as the Coast redeemed themselves the next day with a 10-2 win. This victory was powered by another team effort on offense, with a record seven doubles each coming from a different player, leading the way for the win.
The weekend was a quiet one for the Coast. Saturday’s contest was called after six innings due to air quality concerns. Local and regional fires continue to burn through Western states, including Montana where the Range Riders are located, which was the reason the game was called early and Long Beach lost 4-2.
Instead of being able to bounce back and close out the week, the Coast split the series and ended with a lopsided 9-0 loss. The loss was recorded as a forfeit by Long Beach, though there was no specific reason documented as to why the Coast called the game.
After a chaotic week on the road, the Long Beach Coast will return home in hopes to get back on their feet. The Coast will host the Yuba-Sutter Freebirds for a three-game contest before the Oakland Ballers come into town for a weekend series.
