Report by LBSU
The Long Beach State softball team split a doubleheader against Cal State Fullerton Saturday afternoon as the 49ers won the opener, 4-3, before dropping a 5-1 decision at Anderson Family Field.
The Beach is now 22-26 overall and 6-11 in Big West action, while the Titans sit at 13-36, 8-9 BWC.
Long Beach State 4, Cal State Fullerton 3
Long Beach State scored four runs in the top of the seventh and was able to hold off a late Cal State Fullerton rally to emerge with a 4-3 victory in the series opener Saturday afternoon.
Junior Brooke Turner (10-10) earned the win as she allowed three runs on seven hits, while striking out three in 6.0 innings of work. Sophomore Taylor Petty came on in relief to pick up her second save of the season.
The 49ers out hit CSF, 11-7, and were led by freshman Bree Stephan, who extended her hitting streak to 11 games, going 3-for-4 with two RBI. Stephan connected for her first career home run as she came through in the clutch, breaking open a scoreless game in the top of the seventh. Senior Brandy Reyes also had two hits and a pair of RBI.
The two teams were locked in a pitchers’ duel early on as both LBSU and CSF had just two hits apiece through the first four innings.
The Beach started to put the pressure on the Titan defense in the later innings as it had at least two runners on in each of the final three frames. The 49ers eventually broke the game open in the top of the seventh when Casey Burba led off with an infield single. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ashley Levine and moved to third on a wild pitch. With one out, Stephan then drove a 1-0 offering from Katey Laban over the left field fence to put the 49ers up, 2-0.
Ashley Weber and Caitrin DeBaun followed with back-to-back singles before Reyes drove both runners in with a double to the gap in right center, giving LBSU a 4-0 cushion.
Cal State Fullerton came storming back in the bottom half of the inning as Gabby Aragon and Nicole Johnson singled before Morgan LeMond connected for a three-run homer to cut the 49ers’ lead to one. After Katie Baldwin singled, Petty came on in relief for The Beach.
K.C. Craddick laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the tying run into scoring position, but Petty struck out Ariel Tsuchiyama before getting Adriana Martinez to pop out to end the game.
Cal State Fullerton 5, Long Beach State 1
Cal State Fullerton jumped out to an early lead and never looked back as it defeated The Beach, 5-1, in the back end of the doubleheader.
Taylor Petty (9-14) took the loss in the circle as she allowed five runs (three earned) on five hits and three walks, while striking out five.
After erupting for 11 hits in the opener, the 49ers were held to just three in the second game. Junior Liz Javier and senior Brandy Reyes both doubled, while senior Bridgette Pagano had a pinch-hit single.
Cal State Fullerton got on the board early, scoring three runs on two hits in the bottom of the first. Morgan LeMond highlighted the inning with a two-run homerun, her second long ball of the day.
The Titans tacked on two more with one hit and two 49er errors in the third frame.
Long Beach State broke up the shutout bid in the top of the sixth as Ashley Weber reached on a fielding error by second baseman Sheila Holguin. Weber then advanced to third on back-to-back wild pitches by Krystal Heinle and eventually crossed the plate on a ground ball to the right side off the bat of Caitrin DeBaun.
LBSU returns to Anderson Family Field on Sunday, May 9, when it takes on Cal State Fullerton in the series finale. First pitch is set for noon.