Long Beach State University
UCLA
Beach softball falls to No. 2 UCLA, 4-2
5/15/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 15, 2009
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The Long Beach State softball team fell to No. 2 and host UCLA, 4-2, in the first round of the NCAA Division I Softball Championships Friday afternoon at Easton Stadium.
"I am really proud of our team," said 49er head coach Kim Sowder. "We didn't play perfect softball today, but we certainly battled back and we did a great job offensively. We just have to come back tomorrow ready to go."
Sophomore Brooke Turner (17-12) took the loss despite a solid effort in which she allowed four runs (three earned), scattered six hits and struck out five.
Junior Ashley Weber paced the 49er offense with a pair of hits and an RBI, while classmate Ashley Levine went 2-for-3. Senior Danielle Linke also connected for her 14th double of the season.
UCLA (42-9) got on the board in the bottom of the first when Andrea Harrison drew a one-out walk. Harrison made her way to third on a wild pitch and a ground out, before coming around to score on a fielding error by senior Jonae Perez.
The Bruins tacked on one more in the second as Monica Harrison doubled home Julie Burney, who recorded the first hit of the game.
Long Beach State responded in the top of the third frame, tying the game with two runs on five hits. Junior Jodi Nakawatase started the rally with a base hit up the middle and advanced to third on a double by Linke. Weber then delivered an RBI single before Perez extended her hitting streak to nine games, driving in Linke for the tying run.
The 49ers had a chance to take the lead in the fifth when Weber led off with a single. After a pair of strikeouts, Levine dropped a blooper into shallow centerfield but Katie Schroeder's throw was right on target to get Weber, who was trying to advance to third.
UCLA pitcher Megan Langenfeld helped herself out in the bottom half of the inning as she connected for an RBI double, giving the Bruins a 3-2 advantage. Burney added an insurance run in the sixth with a homer to left field.
Langenfeld improved to 15-1 on the season, allowing two runs on seven hits, while striking out seven.
Long Beach State drops to the losers bracket and will face UNLV in an elimination game Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
