LAKEWOOD — For the second time in eight days, freshman starting pitcher Erin Jones-Wesley took matters into her own hands for the Long Beach State softball team in a 2-0 win against Utah State on Sunday at the Long Beach Marriott Invitational.
Jones-Wesley (7-3) tossed her second no-hitter in as many weekends, the 22nd in LBSU history. The right-hander threw her first no-hitter in a 7-1 win over Baylor on March 5.
In addition, Jones-Wesley batted for the first time in her LBSU career and drove in the first run of the game.
“It was good to get that run out and know that I was helping my team both ways — defensively and offensively,” Jones-Wesley said.
It was always head coach Kim Sowder’s intention to put Jones-Wesley at the plate at some point.
“She’s been hitting all year in practice, and she’s a very good hitter,” Sowder said. “I just felt like today was a good day to try it, because we’ve had people struggling a little bit with the bat.”
The 49ers (16-8) continued to have trouble scoring runs, not scoring until the sixth inning.
With one out, senior Christina Schallig hit a 2-2 pitch to left field for a double. After freshman Karli Sandoval hit a fly out to left for the second out, Jones-Wesley hit an 0-2 pitch over the head of Aggies center fielder Joreigh Landers for an RBI double. After a pitching change, Hannah De Gaetano hit a first-pitch double into left field to score freshman Loni Tyler, who pinch ran for Jones-Wesley.
For added emphasis, Jones-Wesley came back and struck out two in the seventh, bringing her total to 11 for the game.
The game came after a tough start for Jones-Wesley on Friday, when she gave up 10 hits and five earned runs against No. 10-ranked UCLA.
“I think she just came in a little more intense from the UCLA game and she’s hitting her spots better,” LBSU pitching coach Stephanie Swenson said. “She has a lot of confidence that she has built up in the last couple weekend so she tapped into that again and just took charge.”
Jones-Wesley added: “I knew that I needed to bring my intensity up and help my team out; throw the right pitches and hit my spots.”
Dani Chaplin (0-4) came in to relieve Utah State starting pitcher Shelbi Tyteca in the fourth inning and ended up with the loss, giving up two earned runs and striking out one.
LBSU 9, Saint Mary’s 0
Brooke Turner threw a two-hit shutout as Long Beach State got some much-needed runs Sunday in a 9-0 mercy-rule win against Saint Mary’s in the final game of the Long Beach Marriott Invitational.
It was the second game in a row that the senior pitcher allowed only two hits to get the win, but this time she didn’t have to pitch nine innings as in Saturday’s 2-1 extra-innings victory against Sacramento State.
Turner (6-1) finished the game with five strikeouts and had plenty of run support from LBSU, with the NCAA mercy rule being applied after the fifth inning.
“Our goal was to score in the first inning,” head coach Kim Sowder said. “We’ve been coming up short — getting runners on in the first then falling short. So it was nice to get a lead.”
Scoring in the first inning came quickly, when LBSU chased the Gaels’ first pitcher, Jessica Lemmon, out of the game after only four batters. The 49ers reached on three walks, including the first bases-loaded walk of the game.
There would be seven walks for The Beach in the first, and four of them were with the bases loaded. Seniors Liz Javier and Christina Schallig had RBIs in the inning as well; Javier on a fielder’s choice and Schallig on a single.
Freshman Hannah De Gaetano hit the first home run of her career in the third — a two-run shot to left field that Gaels left fielder Michelle Mounts knocked the wall over trying to run down — to bring LBSU’s lead to 8-0.
Alisha Rosen also added a sacrifice fly RBI in the fourth to plate senior Andrea Littleworth and round out the scoring.
Sowder used the large lead as an opportunity to utilize the LBSU bench.
“We have a very good bench that is very supportive of this team,” Sowder said. “I love when I have opportunities to play other players.”
Lemmon (0-2) took the loss for St. Mary’s, giving up two earned runs while not being able to record an out.
The Beach will next face No. 13-ranked Texas on Wednesday at the on-campus 49er Softball Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
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