A pair of timely Long Beach State home runs capped the softball team’s pair of wins Saturday at the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic in Las Vegas.
LBSU 11, Arkansas 0 (5 innings, mercy-rule victory)
Junior Megan Denio’s walk-off grand slam — her first career home run — gave the 49ers an 11-0 victory over Arkansas in the first game.
Denio finished with a school record-tying six RBIs to become the second 49er in as many days to accomplish the feat. First baseman Christina Schallig tied the record Friday.
Jessica Smith had originally set the record on April 10, 1999, against UC Santa Barbara and tied it less than a month later on May, 2, 1999, against New Mexico State.
Denio’s blast capped a six-run fifth inning for LBSU (7-1).
Junior starting pitcher Taylor Petty (3-1) picked up the win, striking out seven while allowing just four hits.
The ‘Niners jumped on the Razorbacks (4-5), scoring four runs in the bottom of the second. After back-to-back singles, Dana Garcia singled to center to score Schallig and put The Beach up 1-0. Alisha Rosen added a RBI single scoring Liz Javier, while Garcia came around to score on an error to give the 49ers a 3-0 lead.
Denio tacked on another run with an RBI single up the middle for a 4-0 lead.
Denio helped LBSU add to the lead in the bottom of the fourth, driving in Sarah Carrasco on a ground out to third to give the 49ers a 5-0 advantage and set up her fifth-inning heroics.
Arkansas senior right-hander Layne McGuirt (0-2) was charged with the loss. McGuirt gave up five runs — one earned — on seven hits in three innings.
LBSU 7, Boise State 5 (8 innings)
Sophomore second baseman Nalani St. Germain hit a two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning to lead Long Beach State to its second win of the day, a 7-5 decision in eight innings over Boise State.
St. Germain finished 3-for-5 at the plate with two runs scored and was one of four 49ers with multiple hits.
Caitrin DeBaun went 3-for-3 with two RBIs, Carrasco was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Denio finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Erin Jones-Wesley (3-0) picked up the win, throwing 4 2/3 innings of relief for senior starter Brooke Turner. Wesley’s win was her third in two weeks against the Broncos (2-6).
Morgan Barnes (0-1) took the loss after three innings of relief. Barnes allowed three runs — two earned — on five hits.
The 49ers moved to 3-1 in the tournament and will face Utah on Sunday at 11:15 a.m. in their final game of the tournament.
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