With some big bats (including a 6-for-7 performance from junior Ashley Weber), Long Beach State swept Cal State Fullerton in a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at the 49er Softball Complex. LBSU defeated the Titans, 3-2 and 6-4.
With the victories, The Beach improved to 29-17 overall and 10-4 in the Big West, and moved into a tie for second in the conference standings with Cal State Fullerton (22-19, 10-4 BWC). Cal Poly remained at the head of the pack with a pair of wins vs. UC Davis.
LBSU 3, CSF 2
Senior Jonae Perez drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh to score Ashley Weber for the game-winning run as the 49ers took the series opener against CSF, 3-2.
Sophomore Brooke Turner improved to 16-9 on the season as she went the distance, allowing two runs on six hits. Turner finished with seven strikeouts against just one walk.
Weber led the offense, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Senior Danielle Linke added a pair of hits, while Perez picked up two RBI.
LBSU dented the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning, taking an early 2-0 lead. With two outs, Weber got things going with a base hit to left field and senior Jennifer Griffin followed with an infield single. Junior Brandy Reyes then hit a grounder to the left side that was mishandled by Titan shortstop Courtney Martinez, allowing Weber to come around to score. Perez then drove in Griffin with a single.
CSF took one run back in the top of the fourth on an RBI single from Lauren Lupinetti, and the Titans eventually went on to even the playing field at 2-2 in the top of the sixth.
The 49ers responded in their last at bats as Linke drove a one-out double to the left field wall and advanced to third on a single by Weber. After Griffin drew a free pass, CS Fullerton pitcher Ari Cervantes got Reyes to ground into a force out at home, but then walked Perez to give The Beach the 3-2 win.
LBSU 6, CSF 4
In the back end of the doubleheader, Jennifer Griffin delivered a clutch three-RBI double to give The Beach a 6-4 comeback victory over CS Fullerton.
In addition to Griffin’s big hit, Ashley Weber once again came through for The Beach with three hits and two RBI. Junior Bridgette Pagano also went 1-for-2 while driving in a run.
Freshman Taylor Petty (12-4) earned the victory in the circle, giving up four runs and scattering seven hits in 6.2 innings of work. Petty finished with eight strikeouts.
Cal State Fullerton opened the scoring as Francesca Gonzales led off the top of the second with a home run over the right field fence.
That lead lasted until the bottom of the fifth when the 49ers put two on the board. Freshman Jennifer Madigan and senior Brianna Goad both drew a walk before Linke singled to load the bases. Weber then connected for a double down the right field line, scoring both Madigan and Goad. The Titans reclaimed the lead in the sixth frame when Courtney Martinez cracked a two-run homerun, putting CSF up 3-2.
LBSU responded in the bottom half of the inning as Pagano drove in the tying run with a sacrifice fly. With two outs, the 49ers then loaded the bases for Griffin, who had been walked in her previous two at bats. With nowhere to put her, Griffin took advantage of a 1-0 count, driving a bases-clearing double to the gap in right center.
Fullerton pushed one more run across in the bottom of the seventh, but its rally came up short as Brooke Turner came in to close the door, picking up her first save of the season.
Long Beach State will look to complete the series sweep and take over sole possession of second place in the Big West when it takes on Cal State Fullerton in the finale tomorrow at 1 p.m. The 49ers’ five seniors will be honored before the start of the game.
From LBSU reports