Game 1 Box score
Game 2 Box score
The Long Beach State softball team extended its winning streak to five games with two come-from-behind victories over the University of Illinois-Chicago on Tuesday at the 49er Softball Complex.
The LBSU offense, led by senior Ashley Weber, was the determining factor in The Beach’s sweep of the Flames. The left fielder drove in three runs on a 3-for-6 day at the plate in the 49ers’ 3-2 and 5-3 victories.
With the two wins, the ‘Niners pushed their record to 9-1 over their last 10 games, dating back to March 13.
“[Getting close wins is] something we’ve been doing for the past couple of weeks now,” Weber said. “We haven’t been our best on defense or on offensive hitting, but we’ve definitely been getting the Ws and that’s what we need.”
With two outs, Ashley Hewett sent a shot over the fence to give UIC a 2-0 lead over LBSU in the top of the fourth inning.
The 49ers (16-13) evened up the score in the bottom half of the inning.
Senior Ashley Levine got things going with a leadoff walk. Bridgette Pagano got on base on a fielder’s choice after hitting an infield grounder and also stole second base.
UIC pitcher Devin Miller then walked Megan Denio. Freshman Nalani St. Germain moved Pagano and Denio to second and third on a groundout before Weber singled to center field to plate both runners.
Neither team would score during the remainder of regulation or after an extra inning.
St. Germain began on second base to start the bottom of the ninth and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Weber. She scored the game-winning run on a high throw to the plate from the Flames’ shortstop after a grounder by Brandy Reyes.
“We made it a little tougher than it needed to be,” Beach head coach Kim Sowder said. “We had a lot of opportunities, we didn’t have good at-bats in those opportunities, but the bottom line is we found a way to clutch up a couple of times to get the win.”
UIC (6-20) threatened to score in the sixth with two base runners on, before junior Brooke Turner replaced sophomore Taylor Petty in the circle with one out.
Turner got Kelsey Sturgeon to ground out into a double play to get out of the inning.
Turner (8-5) didn’t allow a run in 3.2 innings of relief to pick up the win for the 49ers. Petty gave up two runs and scattered four hits.
LBSU 5, UIC 3
The 49ers also grabbed the earlier game of their doubleheader.
Trailing the Flames, 3-1, in the third, LBSU pushed across three runs in the bottom half of the inning to take the lead.
St. Germain got on base with a leadoff walk and Weber reached the bag on an infield single. Reyes loaded the bases with 49ers after drawing a walk.
Junior Christina Schallig drove in two runs on a standup double. Reyes would cross the plate after UIC was called for an illegal pitch.
The Beach added an insurance run in the fourth to hang on for a 5-3 win.
“I’m finally getting the hits that I needed to,” Weber said. “I was making good contact, but not getting it where it needed to go and today everything fell through.”
Turner also picked up the win in the opening game, giving up just one hit in 4.0 innings. Pagano allowed three runs on six hits in 3.0 innings.
LBSU travels to No. 5 UCLA on Friday for a 2 p.m. contest at Easton Stadium.
The team returns home next Tuesday to face San Diego State at 2 p.m.
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