LBSU 10, UC Davis 0 (5)
The Long Beach State softball team pounded UC Davis for 10 runs as the mercy rule was applied after five innings in the first game of a doubleheader on Breast Cancer Awareness Day on Saturday at the 49er Softball Complex.
Senior Christina Schallig, sophomore Caitrin DeBaun and freshman Hannah De Gaetano led the assault for LBSU (27-13, 5-3 Big West Conference) with three RBIs apiece, with senior Liz Javier adding one more for good measure.
“The hitting was just contagious,” LBSU head coach Kim Sowder said of the 12 hits The Beach tallied against the Aggies (18-18, 3-5 Big West).
Though Aggies pitcher Alex Holmes leads the conference in strikeouts, she couldn’t match LBSU starting pitcher Erin Jones-Wesley’s performance.
Jones-Wesley (15-4), who ranks second in the Big West in strikeouts, allowed just one hit and struck out five in her ninth shutout of the season.
Jones-Wesley’s only hit surrendered was a bloop single to Aggies center fielder Megan Guzman.
The 49ers broke the scoreless game open in the second inning with De Gaetano driving in Jones-Wesley on a single up the middle, which also advanced freshman Dana Garcia to third base. DeBaun then smacked a double that scored both Garcia and De Gaetano to give the ‘Niners a 3-0 cushion.
“I was just seeing the ball really well,” DeBaun said of her 2-for-2 performance. “I was swinging and being really aggressive.”
A walk and an error loaded the bases, and with consecutive walks drawn by senior Liz Javier and Schallig, LBSU increased its lead to 5-0 by the end of the inning.
DeBaun hit a second double in the third that would score De Gaetano from third base, where she landed after hitting her own double and then moving over after an interference call.
The 49ers weren’t done just yet, though. Javier cracked a leadoff single before Schallig belted her fourth home run of the year over the left field wall.
“The whole team did a really good job of getting on the board early,” Schallig said. “That’s what we need to do to win.”
An 8-0 lead didn’t satisfy LBSU, however, as De Gaetano drove in two more runs in the fourth on a single, scoring Garcia and junior Megan Denio.
After five innings, the NCAA mercy rule went into effect and the game was called at 10-0.
De Gaetano finished the game going 4-for-4 with three singles and a double.
“I went out really relaxed, and my head was all in it from the start,” De Gaetano said. “When I come to games like that, I do really well at the plate.”
Alex Holmes (12-12) took the loss for UC Davis, striking out three and giving up five hits and five runs in one 2/3 innings.
LBSU 2, UC Davis 1
It was beginning to look like the LBSU softball team couldn’t win two consecutive Saturday games in conference play this season.
However, the 49ers prevailed in dramatic fashion with a 2-1 victory over UC Davis at the 49er Softball Complex in the second game of the doubleheader.
Tied 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning, LBSU sophomore Nalani St. Germain came up to bat and blasted a one-out walk-off home run that soared over the left field fence.
“I’m definitely a high ball hitter,” St. Germain said of the pitch she hit out. “I was just concentrating on making contact.”
Senior pitcher Brooke Turner (8-5) held the Aggies at bay, allowing the 49ers to remain in the game. After giving up a run in the first, Turner settled in to a groove, striking out seven and giving up just four hits.
“She battled out there,” head coach Kim Sowder said. “It was great for her and for us to go seven and keep us in the ball game.”
Turner got two quick outs to start the game and then walked two UC Davis batters. After giving up a run on an RBI single, the 5-foot-11 pitcher struck out Aggies second baseman Kelly Harman to get the final out of the inning.
The Beach came back in the bottom half of the inning. With runners at the corners, senior Liz Javier hit an RBI single to right center, scoring Caitrin DeBaun.
Though LBSU continued its solid hitting from the first game, the 49ers managed to bring home just one run on seven hits before St. Germain’s walk-off home run.
“[UC Davis pitcher] Alex Holmes was a little bit more on her game this game,” DeBaun said of the low-scoring game. “We were still getting hard hits off her, we just weren’t finding holes.”
Sowder was fortunate to win both games, since it marked the first time the 49ers have swept a doubleheader in conference play this season.
“We finally broke that curse of not getting two [wins] on Saturday,” Sowder said.
St. Germain said getting two wins is a necessity to win the Big West conference.
“It’s definitely a confidence booster, too,” St. Germain said. “It was nice that we could come together to get the win.”
De Gaetano continued her hot hitting, as she added two more hits in the second game, brining her day’s tally to six hits in eight at-bats.
“I’ve learned a lot from the veterans on the team,” De Gaetano said. “I just went out there really relaxed.”
Alex Holmes (12-13) took her second loss of the day, giving up two earned runs and seven hits while striking out four.
The 49ers will conclude their three-game series against UC Davis in a rubber match at the 49er Softball Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
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