BUSY WEEK FOR LBSU 16-14, 6-0 Big West
Home: 5-1 • Away: 4-5 • Neutral: 7-8
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The Long Beach State softball team (16-14, 6-0) continued its winning streak after a three-game sweep over the Cal Poly Mustangs last week. The 49ers take a quick break from its conference schedule with a double-header versus the Centenary College Ladies on Thursday, April 17 at 1:00 p.m. LBSU resumes its league schedule versus #7 ranked CS Fullerton (28-12, 9-0) on Friday and Saturday in a three-game series.
Recapping the Week
@ Cal Poly April 12-14
The 49ers moved to 6-0 in conference play for the third time in four years after strong pitching performances from Lindsey Knoff and Meredith Cervenka and great hitting from Colleen Burdick and Arleigh Thorp...Knoff picked up her 10th victory of the season after allowing just two runs, while Cervenka has turned it on as of late, recording her sixth win, after allowing just one run...Burdick hit the game-winning home run on Saturday in the ninth inning, while Thorp hit a blast that completed a comeback victory on Monday.
Game Summaries:
Arleigh Thorp's two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning completed the 5-3 Long Beach State comeback victory and series sweep over the Cal Poly Mustangs, Monday afternoon at Bob Janssen Field.
The 49ers, who have won six straight games, improved to 16-14 (6-0 Big West). This is the third time in four years that LBSU has started 6-0 in conference play (2001, 2000).
Long Beach State would start the comeback in the top of the fifth inning when Tiffanie Wedell led off with a single to left field, followed by a Colleen Burdick single which advanced Wedell to second base. An eventual sac fly by Thorp would score Wedell to cut the deficit to 3-2. A Staniorski double would then plate Burdick to make it 3-3.
The 49ers would complete the comeback and take the lead for good when Thorp hit a two-out two-run blast that would score Lauren Johnson as well.
Meredith Cervenka picked up her sixth victory (6-8) after 3.0 shutout innings, including three strikeouts.
Thorp finished the afternoon 1-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. Staniorski went 2-for-4 with one double and one RBI.
Burdick hit a solo home run to right field in the top of the ninth inning to give the Long Beach State softball team a 3-2 victory in game one of a BWC double-header at Cal Poly on Saturday afternoon. Game scores were 3-2, 4-1.
With the score tied and headed to extra innings, Burdick would hit the solo shot in the top of the ninth to break the 2-2 tie. Pitcher Lindsey Knoff would retire the next three Mustangs in order to pick up her 10th victory of the season. Knoff finished the day allowing two runs on six hits and four strikeouts.
Cervenka closed the door on SLO in the second game of the day, allowing just one run on six hits and five strikeouts to collect her fifth win of the season.
Thorp led the Niners offensively going 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI and one run. Burdick would continue her hot hitting as well, going 3-for-4 with one double, and two runs. News & Notes Leading Off:
The Long Beach State Softball team (16-14, 6-0) plays a double-header vs. Centenary College on Thursday at 1:00 p.m., then resumes its conference schedule versus No. 7 CS Fullerton on Friday and Saturday (2).
In the Circle:
Pitcher Lindsey Knoff has compiled a 10-6 record with 74 strikeouts and a 1.69 ERA, in 120.1 innings of work this season. Knoff went 1-0 with one no decision last week versus Cal Poly, allowing just two runs. Her 1.69 ERA is fifth best in the conference. She has six shutouts already this season, which is tied for second best in the conference. Her nine wins place her in the top-10 as well.
Back on Track:
Meredith Cervenka has improved dramatically in the circle as of late for The Beach. After a 2-8 start, Cervenka has won four straight decisions, and has only allowed one earned run in her last 17.0 innings pitched. Her 1.83 ERA is the sixth lowest in the league. Her 83 strikeouts are 7th best in the conference as well. She tied a school record after posting 13 strikeouts versus Louisiana-Lafayette on March 13 (Diane Lewis - 13 vs. Hawaii on May 2, 1986).
Burdick Blasts Off:
Junior transfer Colleen Burdick had a very solid offensive output at Cal Poly last week. She hit the game-winning solo home run in the top of the ninth inning to break a 2-2 in the first game of the double-header. She followed up in the second game going 3-for-4 with two runs scored in the 4-1 win. For the series, Burdick went 5-for-8 (.625), with a double and a home run, with three runs and one RBI.
Thorp Putting up Solid Numbers...Again:
After leading the team last season in batting average, hits, doubles, and triples, Arleigh Thorp is once again near the front of the statistical leaderboard this season for The Beach. She is 2nd in batting average (.298), 1st in doubles (12), and tops the team with 25 hits. Thorp had a productive weekend at Cal Poly last week, hitting a game-winning two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning to give The Beach a 5-3 come from behind victory. For the series, Thorp went 3-for-8 with two doubles, a home run, and five RBI. Thorp ranks in the conference top-15 in batting average, third with 12 doubles, and second in slugging pct. (.595).
Golden Gloves:
Long Beach State leads the Big West with a .973 fielding percentage this season, and have committed a league-low 26 errors. Freshman Impact:
Freshman Riki Paredes has provided a nice spark to the 49er line-up this season, totaling 16 hits, two of which were triples (tied for best on the team). Paredes leads the team in batting average (.302), with three doubles, two triples, and three RBI.
Tough Competition:
Long Beach State has already faced seven teams ranked in the top-25 poll this season (Arizona, Oklahoma, Stanford, Texas A&M, Florida State, Georgia, and Louisiana-Lafayette). The series versus CS Fullerton will be the eighth ranked opponent that they will have faced.
Johnson Coming Through:
Sophomore Lauren Johnson hit her first career home run at the UCSB Early Bird Invite on Jan. 31. Johnson continued her success at the OU/Nike Classic (2/14-16) when she belted home runs No. 2 & 3 on the season versus Creighton and Oklahoma. Johnson is tied on the team with three home runs, second in hits with 22 , and has posted a .267 batting average. She also is tied for second on the team with seven RBI, second with 12 runs, and first with six stolen bases. She ranks in the top-10 in the league in Slugging Pct (.430).
LBSU Transfers:
Junior transfers Colleen Burdick (Fullerton JC) and Rocky Staniorski (San Jose State) have combined for 42 hits, 14 runs, and 11 RBI in their debuts with the 49ers this season.
Fielder's Choice:
Burdick also has recorded a team-best 230 putouts, to go along with 12 assists (1 error), for a .996 fielding percentage.
Postponed Games Rescheduled:
The postponed three-game series at Utah State (4/5-6), has been rescheduled for May 6-7 in Logan. |
