Long Beach State University
North Dakota State
Softball Completes Unbeaten Weekend With Two More Wins
2/21/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Box Score (Game One) | Box Score (Game Two)
Palo Alto, Calif. - Long Beach State finished off a very good weekend with two convincing wins, defeating North Dakota State 8-1 and St. Mary's 9-1 in six innings as the 49ers finished their time in Stanford with a 4-0 record.
In the opening game of the day, Long Beach State (6-3) took command early and never looked back against North Dakota State (5-5). LT Torres led off the bottom of the first with a single, and after a bunt single from Haley Tobler, Darian Tautalafua hit her second home run of the weekend, a three-run shot to put the Beach in front 3-0.
Another three-run homer doubled the Long Beach State lead in the fourth inning. Singles from Julia Lombardi and Lauren MacLeod put two runners on for freshman DP Tierra Falo, who hit her first collegiate home run to make the score 6-0 in favor of the Beach.
A solo home run from Alyssa Reina got the Bison on the board, but Long Beach State answered with two more runs in support of Cielo Meza in the bottom of the sixth.
Meza struck out 11 North Dakota State batters while limiting the Bison to five hits in the complete game effort, improving to 3-2 on the year.
The second game featured more of the same, as Long Beach State improved to 3-0 in games decided by the mercy rule with a 9-1 win over St. Mary's.
Hannah Cookson led the way in the win over the Gaels, going 3-for-3 with a double and five RBI. Julia Lombardi also homered and had a pair of doubles, the first coming in the second inning to start a 49er rally.
A bunt and a walk put runners on the corners for LBSU in the inning, and Alley Perkins singled to bring home the first run of the game. Torres and Cookson then followed with RBI singles of their own as once more Long Beach State took a 3-0 lead.
Cookson drove in two more with a two-run double in the fourth inning, and then Lombardi's solo home run put Long Beach State on top 6-0. A solo home run from Loralie Fitzpatrick was the first run for St. Mary's, but Long Beach State tacked on more runs in the top of the sixth to end the game early.
Cookson and Lombardi again came up with the big hits, as Cookson drove in another pair with a single, while Lombardi brought home the sophomore to make the score 9-1.
Christina Clermont finished off the complete game by striking out the side in the bottom of the sixth, and the Beach improved to 6-3 on the year.
Next up for the Beach is the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Palm Springs from Feb. 26-28. The 49ers will play five games in the tournament, starting with Colorado State at 1 p.m. on Friday.
