Long Beach State University
LSU
Softball Earns Another Tournament Split
2/20/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 20, 2014
Cathedral City, Calif. - After dropping the opener to No. 23 LSU, Long Beach State rebounded with an 11-5 victory over Maryland. Cya Neal went 4-for-5 against the Terrapins, leading the 49ers who finished with a season-high 13 hits against Maryland.
Long Beach State (7-5) pushed across a run in the top of the first inning after a leadoff hit from Shayna Kimbrough against Maryland, and took a 2-0 lead following the top of the fourth inning after freshman Lauren Lombardi hit her first collegiate home run, a solo shot with two outs.
Maryland was able to get on the board with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning, but Long Beach State answered back with two runs in the top of the fifth. Neal started the rally, and after a walk to Hannah De Gaetano, a single by Karli Sandoval and a sac fly from Ashley Holmes brought across a pair.
Erin Jones-Wesley ran into trouble in the fifth inning however, surrendering the Long Beach State lead. An error put the leadoff batter on, and after a single, Jones-Wesley was able to cut down the lead runner on a comebacker. A double by Lindsey Schmeiser brought home one run, and Shannon Bustillos followed with another double, bringing home two more runs. A single by Kylie Datil scored Bustillos and Maryland took over the lead 5-4.
The 49ers answered with a big inning of their own. Sarah Carrasco started off the inning with a base hit, and then scored on a triple from Christina Montoya. An RBI single by Kimbrough continued the rally, putting Long Beach State back on top, and with the bases loaded, a two-run single by Sandoval put Long Beach State in command.
Amanda Hansen, who came on in relief in the fifth inning, took the win with two additional scoreless innings, while the 49ers piled on three insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning.
In the first game of the day, Long Beach State fell to No. 23 LSU 13-0 in five innings. The 49ers were held to just two hits by Baylee Corbello. Amanda Hansen pitched four innings, giving up four runs to LSU, but the Tigers exploded for nine runs in the fifth against a trio of 49er pitchers to end the game early.
The 49ers return to action at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Saturday, facing Oklahoma State and New Mexico, with the first game starting at 5:30 p.m. followed by an 8 p.m. start against the Lobos.
