Long Beach State University Athletics
Long Beach State Closes Non-Conference Play With LMU DH
3/28/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Long Beach, Calif. -
LEADING OFF
• Long Beach State closes non-conference play with a doubleheader on Wednesday, traveling to play Loyola Marymount for the first time since 2012. First pitch of game one is scheduled for Noon.
• Balance between the three major areas has been a key to Long Beach State's non-conference success. Hitting .294 as a team, the Beach has five players hitting over .300, and ranks in the Top 75 teams in the nation in both ERA (2.93) and fielding percentage (.965) on the season.
• Pitching has led the way for Long Beach State as both junior Christina Clermont and freshman Cielo Meza are off to great starts this season. Both players rank in the top ten in the Big West in ERA, and currently sit No. 2 and No. 4 in strikeouts, having combined for 185 in 29 games.
• Christina Clermont was named the Big West Co-Pitcher of the Year in her first season at the Beach, and has quickly returned to top form. Clermont is now 11-3 this season, having thrown three shutouts with one save, and has struck out 100 batters in 93 innings pitched this season.
• Cielo Meza has been an excellent complement in the circle, striking out 10 or more in a game four times this season while posting a team-best 2.59 ERA. Meza ranks 25th in strikeouts per seven innings this season at 8.8. • It hasn't all been pitching for the Beach, as five players are hitting over .300, led by Julia Lombardi who has been on a tear the last two weeks at .372, just in front of senior Darian Tautalafua at .371. Alley Perkins raised her averaged to .333, while freshman Tierra Falo is hitting .328. Finally, leadoff batter LT Torres is hitting .303 on the year.
• Long Beach State was chosen as the favorite to claim the 2016 Big West crown as the league's coaches voted in the preseason coaches poll. The Beach picked up six first place votes to take the top spot in front of Cal State Fullerton and Hawai'i, who each took a first-place vote. Last season's champs CSUN were picked fourth, with UC Riverside, Cal Poly, UCSB and UC Davis rounding out the list.
WHAT'S THE SCORE
• All games played at the LBSU Softball complex can be followed via Gametracker.Additional live stats links will be made available through www.longbeachstate.com.
POWER SURGE
• Long Beach State features two players who rank in the Top 10 in career home runs in this year's squad. Leading the way is senior Darian Tautalafua, who is the school record holder with 44 home runs and counting in her senior season She is joined by Lauren Lombardi, who has 17 home runs over two seasons, ranking 7th in LBSU history.
RECORD WATCH
• Darian Tautalafua owns another career record at the Beach as the senior continues to own the power marks. Along with home runs, Tautalafua has driven in 150 RBI, passing Jessica Beaver as a junior to hold the top spot. She also had two walks in San Diego to grab a third record, and has now walked 92 times in her career.
• One additional record is within easy reach for Tautalafua. The senior currently ranks second in career runs scored with 122, trailing new record holder Shayna Kimbrough by 9 runs, a mark set last season in 2015.
PLAYER NOTES
• Tautalafua is living up to her records with her play in 2016. Second on the team in hitting at .371, Tautalafua has hit a team high seven home runs, is slugging a team-best .663 on the year, and has driven in a team high 31 RBI.
• The Big West Player of the Week following Long Beach State's home tournament at Mayfair Park, Julia Lombardi is on a hot streak and now leads the team in batting at .372. Hitting .474 in the team's last tournament at San Diego, the 2015 All-Freshman selection has a pair of home runs and is tied for the team lead with six doubles on the year and leads the 49ers with 35 hits in 2016. The sophomore is also riding a six-game hitting streak, the longest of the season for the Beach.
• Freshman Tierra Falo had a six-game hitting streak entering the team's last competition, and has locked down the team's DP slot, hitting .328 with three home runs and 19 RBI, second on the team behind Tautalafua.
• Also off to a great start is Lauren MacLeod. Forced into a bigger role due to a season-ending injury to All-Big West catcher Lauren Lombardi, MacLeod has started 24 games behind the plate and has hit four home runs, second on the team while batting .231 on the year.
• Sophomore LT Torres walked 27 times as a freshman, and is already off to a quick pace in 2016, walking 14 times this season, a team high. Torres is reaching base at a .400 mark, and is hitting .303 on the year, fifth on the team.
• Haley Tobler has hit three home runs while starting every game in 2016, and is third on the team with 18 RBI this season while scoring 21 runs. The senior has started every game in the last two seasons since transferring from Tennessee.
• Senior Alley Perkins returned to the lineup for Long Beach State, and is now hitting .333 in her first season at the Beach after transferring from Tennessee. She also leads the team with three stolen bases in three attempts this season.
