Long Beach State University
UCF
49ers Beat Central Florida To Advance To Championship Game
2/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 17, 2008
HONOLULU, Hawai'i - Jonae Perez was a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBI as the 49ers cruised to a 5-0 victory over Central Florida. Bridgette Pagano was also solid for the 49ers, allowing just three hits and no runs in the victory.
Having played the Knights two other times in the tournament, with both games coming down to late rallies, the 49ers got on the board relatively early with a fourth-inning score. Jonae Perez started the rally with her second hit of the game, and after moving to second on a groundout, a throwing error on Franciska Morlet's bunt to the pitcher allowed Perez to score for an unearned run.
The 49ers would add the rest of their runs in the following inning. Brianna Goad reached base with one out after another throwing error from the Knights, this one from Ashleigh Cole. Another error put two runners on for the 49ers, and Jennifer Griffin made the Knights pay for their mistakes, hitting a double, scoring Goad and putting the 49ers ahead 2-0. However, Cole loaded the bases by plunking Brooke LeSage, and after a sacrifice fly from Danielle Linke, Perez came through again with her third hit, a two-run single scoring both LeSage and Griffin.
With a 5-0 lead after six, Pagano quickly shut down the Knights in the seventh to seal her second win of the year and set the 49ers' overall record at 5-5. Long Beach State will play Hawai'i at 4 p.m. in the championship game of the Paradise Classic. In the double-elimination format, the 49ers will play a second game immediately after the first with the Rainbow Wahine if they upset No. 15 Hawai'i in the afternoon contest.
