Dirtbags Upset No. 12 USC in College Baseball Showdown

Long Beach State delivers a strong performance to take down the highly ranked Trojans.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 5:20am

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A fragmented, geometric painting in shades of green, blue, and gold, abstractly representing the action and intensity of a college baseball game.A cubist interpretation of the Dirtbags' upset victory over the Trojans, capturing the dynamic energy and competitive spirit of the college baseball matchup.Long Beach Today

The Long Beach State Dirtbags baseball team pulled off an impressive 5-3 victory over the 12th-ranked University of Southern California Trojans on Tuesday night at Bohl Diamond at Blair Field. Pitcher Caleb Anderson delivered a dominant 6.1 shutout innings with a season-high 9 strikeouts, while the Dirtbags' offense provided early run support to secure the upset win.

Why it matters

The victory serves as a much-needed boost of momentum for the struggling Dirtbags, who have been searching for a breakout performance this season. Defeating a highly ranked opponent like USC could be a turning point that sparks a late-season turnaround for Long Beach State.

The details

The Dirtbags jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, with Kaidan Smaka hitting a 2-run double in the first inning and Trotter Enright and Jake Evans adding RBIs later on. Anderson was dominant on the mound, not allowing a hit until the fourth inning. USC mounted a late comeback, scoring 3 runs in the 7th and 8th innings, but the Dirtbags held on for the victory.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, April 15, 2026.
  • The Dirtbags will host San Diego State on Wednesday, April 16, 2026.
  • Long Beach State will begin a Big West Conference series against UC Riverside on Friday, April 18, 2026.

The players

Caleb Anderson

The Long Beach State pitcher delivered a stellar performance, throwing 6.1 shutout innings with a season-high 9 strikeouts.

Kaidan Smaka

The Dirtbags' hitter drove in 2 runs with a double in the first inning to give Long Beach State an early lead.

TJ Bruce

The Long Beach State head coach praised his team's aggressive approach and execution in the upset victory.

University of Southern California

The Trojans entered the game ranked 12th nationally but were unable to overcome the Dirtbags' strong pitching and timely hitting.

Long Beach State

The Dirtbags baseball team has been struggling this season but delivered a much-needed upset win over a highly ranked opponent.

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What they’re saying

“I told the team I thought what they did tonight that we haven't done is just attack the game. It wasn't about Tuesday. It wasn't about USC. It was just about attacking the game and whatever the game presented to us. I thought we did a really good job handling those situations.”

— TJ Bruce, Long Beach State Head Coach

“It felt good out there. I was able to trust the guys behind me and the guys swinging the bats. They've been hot, and when they're doing that, it gives me a chance to go out there and throw up zeros. Having that support definitely helped a lot.”

— Caleb Anderson, Long Beach State Pitcher

“It's all about passing the bat to the next guy. I'm just trying to fight for my team and trust the guys behind me. When we have guys on the mound like Caleb dealing, our offense feeds off that. That's just how we play. It's another opponent, and we've got four more games this week, so we're going to keep doing what we do.”

— Kaidan Smaka, Long Beach State Hitter

What’s next

The Dirtbags will look to build on this upset victory as they host San Diego State on Wednesday and then begin a Big West Conference series against UC Riverside on Friday.

The takeaway

This win over a highly ranked opponent could be a much-needed turning point for the struggling Dirtbags, showing that they have the talent and determination to compete with the best teams in college baseball when they play to their full potential.