One week after it averaged 10 runs per game in a sweep of UC Riverside, the Long Beach State softball team managed to take two of three from Cal State Fullerton despite struggling offensively for much of the weekend.
The 49ers (25-15, 7-2 Big West Conference) had a hard time manufacturing runs in their first two games. The suddenly anemic offense provided the ‘Niners with just two runs and eight hits against the Titans (16-22, 3-6 Big West) in Saturday’s doubleheader before it exploded for seven runs in one inning in Sunday’s finale.
The ‘Niners didn’t get their first hit of game one until the fifth inning, when first baseman Sarah Carrasco energized the home crowd with a double to right-center field. The offensive threat proved to be minor and short-lived, as left fielder Emily Gregorio struck out to end the inning and stranded Carrasco at third base.
The LBSU offense finally came back to life in the seventh inning, when leadoff hitter Shayna Kimbrough drove in the 49ers’ only run. The Niners couldn’t take advantage of their three hits in the inning though and fell 4-1.
Head coach Kim Sowder had less to say about the offensive disappearance’s role in the loss than she did about the three errors her team committed.
“We definitely played bad defense the first game,” Sowder said. “We made some real basic mistakes that hurt us.”
Starting pitcher Amanda Hansen allowed 11 hits in her fifth complete game of the season, but only two of the four runs she gave up were earned. A pair of second-inning errors were responsible for the Titans’ other two runs.
An improved defensive outing helped Erin Jones-Wesley shut out the Titans in the back end of the doubleheader, but the offense was lifeless once again in a 1-0 win.
“I think it was important that we came out and won the game, especially since we had just lost,” Jones-Wesley said. “I was just really trying to keep my team close so even if [Cal State Fullerton] did score, [I tried to] keep it close enough for us to win.”
The Beach only managed three hits but found other ways to occupy the bases, as it drew five walks and took another base when Karli Sandoval was hit by a pitch in the fourth inning.
That inning was all LBSU needed, as Ashley Holmes gave the team its first hit and lone run with an RBI single in the fourth.
“I thought Erin did an outstanding job, pitching a shutout when we really needed it,” Sowder said. “We weren’t hitting the ball like we’re capable of, and we needed someone to lead us, and Erin led us. We needed that. It was a big shutout for her and for our team.”
Sunday’s game looked as if the defensive and offensive problems remained unfixed by the third inning, when a third error allowed CSUF shortstop Gabby Aragon to reach home after a two RBI triple.
The ‘Niners didn’t wait around this time to respond. A pair of singles and two consecutive walks tied the score in the bottom of the inning before Carrasco opened the game up with a three-run homer.
Jones-Wesley pitched her second complete game of the series in a 7-4 win.
The 49ers will wrap-up their homestand with a rare weekday conference game when they play Cal State Northridge on Wednesday at 3 p.m. before travelling to Pacific for a series starting on Saturday.