Long Beach State University Athletics
Beach Faces Final Road Trip At Cal Poly
4/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Long Beach, Calif. -
Complete LBSU Softball Game Notes (Cal Poly) 
LEADING OFF
• Long Beach State is still holding on to second place in the Big West as the 49ers travel to San Luis Obispo for a three-game series at Cal Poly. The first game of the series on Saturday at Noon will be televised live on ESPNU. The other two games, the second game of the DH on Saturday and Sunday's game at Noon can be followed via Gametracker at www.longbeachstate.com.
PLAYER NOTES
• Long Beach State's own sister act of Lauren and Julia Lombardi has been a highlight of the 2015 season. Through 46 games, the pair has combined for 91 hits, 42 runs scored, 16 home runs, 35 walks and 75 RBI. The pair are also second and third this season in hitting, with Lauren hitting .348 and Julia hitting .310. Together, the pair accounts for half of the team's home runs and 40 percent of the team's RBI.
• Sophomore Christina Clermont has been Long Beach State's most consistent pitcher in 2015, ranking in the Big West's top five pitchers in ERA, opponent batting average and strikeouts in 158.2 innings pitched.
• Clermont has steadily improved throughout the season, and has been outstanding in Big West play. The sophomore has gone 9-1 in league, posting a 2.00 ERA and has pitched a complete game in seven straight starts, and in 14 of her last 15 games. The only game she started in that stretch not finished was an 8.0 inning start against UCR that went into extra innings.
• With two grand slams in LBSU's series against the Titans, sophomore Lauren Lombardi tied the Long Beach State record for RBI in a season, and with two RBI against CSUN Lombardi has now set the LBSU single season record with 48 RBI this season. She passed teammate Darian Tautalafua, whose 46 RBI in 2013 was the previous record.
• Tautalafua herself is closing in on an RBI record - the junior is three RBI away from matching volunteer assistant coach Jessica Beaver-White's 115 career RBI with the 49ers. Tautalafua has driven in 27 RBI this season for the Beach, tied for second for the 49ers.
OPPONENT PREVIEW
• Cal Poly has had a somewhat surprising turn in Big West play this season. Despite returning 2014 Big West Pitcher of the Year Sierra Hyland, the Mustangs have allowed a 3.21 ERA over the course of league play, 6th in the Big West. That also matches their offensive output, which at .254 is also sixth. That has led to a 5-10 start for the Mustangs in Big West play.
• Hyland remains a very dangerous pitcher however. With 218 strikeouts this season, she leads the Big West, and her 65 strikeouts in league play is second behind only the 49ers' Christina Clermont (66). Hyland has posted a 5-7 league record though, and opponents have hit .256 against her in Big West play.
• Offensively, the Mustangs are led by Emily Ceccacci, who is hitting .346 with four doubles and two triples in Big West play. On the season, Courtney Tyler leads the Mustangs with a .324 batting average, and has started all 49 games this season for Cal Poly.
