Softball, Sports

Titans spoil Senior Day for LBSU softball

Box score

A season-high nine strikeouts from sophomore right-hander Brooke Turner was not enough to help the 49ers finish the series sweep against Cal State Fullerton on Senior Day.

Long Beach State (29-18, 10-5 Big West Conference) fell, 2-0, to the Titans on Sunday at the 49er Softball Complex. LBSU took two of three games in its last home series of the season.

Turner (16-10) went the distance in a losing effort, walking two and allowing two runs on six hits. The Buena Park-native had one missed pitch in the top of the second that allowed CSUF (23-19, 11-4 Big West) to dent the scoreboard.

With one out, Titan catcher Lauren Lupinetti took an 0-1 pitch and hammered a solo shot over the left field fence to put CSUF up 1-0.

“I’m please with the way she pitched,” 49er head coach Kim Sowder said. “We needed a little more offense than we had, but give Fullerton credit for making great plays.”

The ‘Niners had runners in scoring position through the first six innings, but finished the game leaving eight stranded.

“We had timely hitting yesterday, but today, we didn’t,” Sowder said.

The Titans plated their second run of the game in the fifth with runners on first and second. Second baseman Samantha Dollarhide trickled an RBI single past a diving Brianna Goad that resulted in a controversial play at the plate.

‘Niner catcher Kristen Pocock scooped up a throw from the dirt and tagged a sliding Courtney Martinez, but home plate umpire Les Carr ruled her safe.

“They called it safe, we saw [Pocock] make the tag, but that didn’t make a difference,” Sowder said. “That home run won it for them.”

LBSU managed to get only three hits off Titan right-hander Ari Cervantes (10-6), who struck out four and walked four. Left fielder Ashley Weber collected a hit to go 7-for-11 in the three-game series.

The 49ers have two series remaining, starting Saturday against UC Riverside before wrapping up their regular season the following week against Pacific.

“Riverside’s playing great ball so we have to bring a strong game and fight until the end,” she said.

Prior to the game, the ‘Niners honored seniors Kelly Cross, Goad, Jennifer Griffin, Danielle Linke and Jonae Perez in a Senior Day ceremony.

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