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Friday night, Jered Weaver slammed the door shut on the Univ. of the Pacific Tigers, shutting them out in a complete game victory. Jered gave up only two hits, while setting a new personal best at 17 strikeouts. The Beach scored 3 runs on 5 hits.

The Tigers faired no better on Saturday against Cesar Ramos. Through eight innings he allowed just two hits, striking out eight. Cesar allowed a leadoff hit in the ninth, but promptly got a double play. Pitching Coach Troy Buckley then went to the mound and called for closer Neil Jamison. Neil allowed a lead hit, but then struck out the next batter to end the game, and complete the 5-0 shutout.

When Buck called for Neil, the home plate umpire was apparently irritated. One in my group in the stands thought the umpire said "you've got to be kidding." That set off Coach Mike Weathers who had a heated "discussion" with the ump. Some in the stands were also irritated with the decision to pull Cesar, wanting the see a complete game shutout, and let it be known with their boo's. The Long Beach Press-Telegram explains what happened (read the entire article here):

"It seems you can't please all of the people, all of the time.

Even, apparently, when a baseball team plays as well as Long Beach State's did against its University of Pacific counterpart Friday and Saturday at Blair Field.

With sophomore left-hander Cesar Ramos just one out away from finalizing the Dirtbags' second consecutive complete-game shutout against the Tigers on Saturday afternoon, pitching coach Troy Buckley came to the mound.

And there were a smattering of boos amongst the gathering of 1,113 when Buckley took the ball from the El Rancho High graduate and signaled to the bullpen for closer Neil Jamison.

Two batters later, after Jamison was touched for a single before getting pinch-hitter Mark McLaughlin to stare at a third strike to wrap up the 5-0 victory, Ramos seemed a lot less upset about being pulled than did some seated behind the Dirtbags' dugout.

"It's tough for Neil to get work on weekends,' Ramos said, after striking out eight, giving up just three singles and not allowing a walk to help the Dirtbags improve to 11-3 in the Big West Conference and 33-12 overall. "If a closer doesn't get his work it's tough for him to keep his rhythm.'

So he didn't mind missing out on his second complete-game shutout of the season?

"Nah, not at all,' he said, smiling after running his record to 9-3 and two-year mark to 15-7.

Dirtbags coach Mike Weathers understood why some might have been befuddled by his and Buckley's decision to lift Ramos.

"We wanted to work Jamison a couple of times this weekend,' Weathers said. "The crowd wanted the (complete-game) shutout but we want what is best for the team. Jamison has gone some weekends when he didn't pitch and when he does that, he loses his edge, like any closer would.'"