Preview: Cal State Fullerton Titans at Long Beach State Dirtbags

LONG BEACH, Calif. (Interstat) — A pivotal Big West Conference series opens Friday at Blair Field as the Long Beach State Dirtbags host the Cal State Fullerton Titans.

Both teams enter the weekend looking to build momentum in the second half of the season. The visiting Titans (14-15 overall) have been inconsistent but are coming off a series win over UC Riverside. The Dirtbags (10-21) have struggled to find consistency, dropping their last two series.

A player to watch for Cal State Fullerton is reliever Dylan Nieto. The right-hander has been effective lately, not allowing a hit in his last four appearances spanning 3.1 innings. In the Titans’ 10-inning, 7-3 loss to UCLA on Tuesday, Nieto threw 1.2 hitless innings.

For Long Beach State, outfielder Matt Toomey has been a bright spot in the lineup. He is coming off a 3-for-4 performance with two RBIs in Monday’s 10-5 loss to California Baptist. Over his last 10 games, Toomey is batting .333 (10-for-30) with eight RBIs.

The Titans won two of three games from the Dirtbags in their last meeting during the 2025 season.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, Friday’s contest is projected to be a close one, with Cal State Fullerton edging Long Beach State 4-3.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. PDT. The series continues Saturday and Sunday at Blair Field.