Despite four home runs and a decent outing from Taylor Petty, the 49ers dropped both games of their doubleheader on the road against defending national champion and sixth-ranked Arizona yesterday, before a sizable crowd of 1,323 at Farrington Stadium. LBSU suffered a narrow 5-3 defeat in the opener before falling, 10-6, to close out the three-game series.
ASU 5, LBSU 3
In the first contest, freshman Taylor Petty (8-2) put forth a strong effort, giving up five runs on five hits, while striking out six. Seniors Danielle Linke and Jennifer Griffin both homered to lead the 49er attack, but ultimately the 49ers didn’t have enough firepower to put themselves over the top. Linke finished the game going 2-for-3 with a walk, while juniors Kristen Pocock and Ashley Weber also found their way into the hit column for The Beach.
Arizona State dented the scoreboard in the first inning. After retiring the leadoff batter, Petty gave up back-to-back walks, which set up an RBI single by Katelyn Boyd to give the Sun Devils an early 1-0 advantage. That lead would hold until the fifth frame when Linke knotted the score at 1-1 with a solo blast over the centerfield fence, but the Sun Devils quickly went back on top with Krista Donnenwirth singling home Lesley Rogers in the bottom half of the inning.
The 49ers tied it up once more in the sixth as Griffin led off with her team-leading seventh home run of the season, but ASU responded again, this time scoring three to go up 5-2. Kaitlin Cochran was responsible for two of those runs with a homer to left center.
Long Beach State threatened in its final at bat, loading the bases before Griffin drew a free pass with two outs to score senior Brianna Goad. ASU hurler Megan Elliott then buckled down and got Pocock to pop up, ending the rally and the game.
ASU 10, LBSU 6
In the nightcap, the 49ers outhit the Sun Devils, 11-10, and were led by junior Kristen Pocock who went 3-for-4 with a solo home run. Senior Jennifer Griffin also drove in three with her eighth home run of the season. Senior Danielle Linke added three hits and an RBI.
Long Beach State jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but were outscored 10-2 in the remainder, failing to score again until the sixth. After Linke and Weber both singled, Griffin and Pocock posted back-to-back home runs for the 49ers. Griffin hit a three-run shot over the left field fence, while Pocock connected for her third long ball of the year.
ASU also got on the board in the first with a home run off the bat of Kaitlin Cochran. The Sun Devils then took control in the second, scoring seven runs on five hits. The home team tacked on one more run in both the third and fourth frames to take a commanding 10-4 lead.
The Beach started to mount a comeback, however, putting up two runs in the sixth. With one out, Pagano tripled to left center and came around to score on a base hit by senior Brianna Goad. After sophomore Casey Burba reached on a fielder’s choice, Linke doubled to cut the deficit to four, but that was the closest the 49ers would get, falling 10-6.
Long Beach State will open Big West Conference action at home next weekend as it welcomes UC Davis to the 49er Softball Complex. The three-game series is set to get underway with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 28, beginning at 1pm.
From LBSU reports