Long Beach State University
UC Davis
Softball Splits First Day Of Big West Action
3/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Box Score (Game 1) | Box Score (Game 2) | Photo Gallery 
Long Beach, Calif. - Softball opened up Big West Conference play Saturday and split a pair of games with UC Davis at home. Christina Clermont struck out 10 in a complete game as the 49ers walked off the Aggies 1-0 in game one, but miscues in game two led to a split in an 8-3 loss in game two.
Christina Clermont outlasted the Aggies' Leah Munden in a game that featured strong pitching in the opener. Clermont struck out 10 over seven innings, matching Munden pitch for pitch as both teams went scoreless through six innings.
In the bottom of the seventh Long Beach State was able to push out in front. Darian Tautalafua led off the inning with a walk, and after a passed ball, came around to score as Lauren Lombardi's bloop single landed in front of the Aggies' Ashley Lotoszynski, who slipped and lost the grip on the ball.
In the second game, Long Beach State (14-19, 1-1 Big West) took the first lead of the game in the second inning on a solo home run by Lombardi, her fifth of the season.
The slim margin of momentum the Beach had held to that point of the day fell apart in the fourth inning however. UC Davis (12-15, 1-1 Big West) got the inning started with the leadoff batter reaching as Amanda Hansen hit Christa Castello. Brianna Warner then beat out a bunt single, and an error on the next bunt tied the game at 1-1 with two on and no outs. A fielder's choice loaded the bases, and then two station-to-station singles made the score 3-1.
Two straight errors by Shayna Kimbrough brought home two more runs, and a fielder's choice plated one more as the Aggies scored six runs on three errors and a trio of hits to take a 6-1 lead.
The 49ers pulled back one run after a Lombardi double, but back-to-back home runs from Kelly Zboralske and Lotoszynski the next inning spelled the end of the Long Beach State chances. Kimbrough singled home a run in the bottom of the seventh, but the 49ers were unable to pull any closer, falling 8-3.
Selene Polamalu had a solid outing in relief of Hansen, throwing 3.0 innings with just one hit and no runs allowed.
Both teams return to the 49er Softball Complex to determine the winner of the series with a final game Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
