The Long Beach State softball team completed an opening weekend sweep Sunday by beating Loyola Marymount, 4-1, at the 49er Softball Complex.
Taylor Petty (2-0) recorded 10 strikeouts and allowed just one earned run in the complete-game win for LBSU (4-0). Four of her seven innings pitched were 1-2-3 innings, including the last inning.
“[The Lions] are a very aggressive hitting team, so I had to be smart and hit my spots,” said Petty, who added that it had been about nine months since she pitched before this weekend. She had offseason elbow sugery.
The 49ers came up with nine hits against LMU, including a bases-loaded single to right field hit by junior pinch-hitter Jennifer Madigan. The single by Madigan knocked in two runs for The Beach.
“Throughout the fall and even the spring, [Madigan] had some key hits to bring in some runs, so I felt that was best for the team at the time,” Sowder said of the decision.
Sowder said she was pleased with the way LBSU played in the opening weekend, crediting the team’s energy and communication.
“We had some great pitching and some timely hitting,” Sowder said. “The defense was also a big part.
“This team’s got good chemistry and great leadership so far from our senior group and our captains. We feel like a hungry bunch that is dedicated to being a team.”
LMU pitcher Dana Waldusky (0-2) picked up her second loss, giving up three runs on six scattered singles.
Molly Medeiros came on in relief in the fourth to record the third out, giving up one earned run a sacrifice fly by sophomore Nalani St. Germain in the fifth.
Next up for the 49ers is the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic in Las Vegas, Nev., where on Friday they face Hawaii, which is ranked 13th in the most recent ESPN softball rankings.
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