Long Beach State University
LMU
Softball Sweeps Doubleheader At Loyola Marymount
3/30/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Box Score (Game 1) | Box Score (Game 2) | Photo Gallery 1 
| Photo Gallery 2
Los Angeles, Calif. - Long Beach State put up 16 runs over a doubleheader at Loyola Marymount, winning both games on the road Wednesday. The Beach took the opener 9-1 in six innings before holding off the Lions in game two 7-4.
A solo home run from Stephanie Maciel opened the scoring in game one as Loyola Marymount (22-16) took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Haley Tobler tied the game with a run in the fourth inning. After the senior beat out an infield single with one out, Hannah Cookson doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Tobler then came home on an RBI groundout from Alley Perkins.
Long Beach State (20-11) took their first lead of the day in the fifth inning. Tierra Falo was hit by a pitch, and after a single from Darian Tautalafua put two runners on, Lauren MacLeod hit her fifth home run of the season, a three-run shot to put the Beach on top 4-1.
The best opportunity for the Lions came in the bottom of the fifth inning. Two hits and a walk loaded the bases for Loyola Marymount with one out, but Christina Clermont responded with two straight strikeouts to end the inning and the threat.
The Beach extended their lead in the sixth inning with another one-out rally. Loading the bases with three straight singles, Falo came through with a two-run single, and then Tautalafua homered to center field bringing home three more runs and making the score 9-1.
Clermont went on to finish the complete game with a scoreless sixth inning, striking out 11 in her 12th win of the season.
Long Beach State opened game two quickly. LT Torres singled to start the game, and after a double from Falo, Tautalafua singled to score a pair of runs in the first inning.
Torres came through again in the second inning. After a leadoff walk, Cookson and Perkins each reached on infield singles, loading the bases for the sophomore leadoff hitter. Torres then homered to left, the second grand slam of the season for the Beach making the score 6-0.
Tobler doubled and scored in the top of third inning, but Loyola Marymount pulled back three runs in the bottom half. Lindsey Matoi singled to start the rally, and after a Meghan Von Behren single, doubles from Stephanie Maciel and Aria Pogni cut the LBSU lead to four runs.
Relievers from both sides settled in the rest of the way. Rachel Farrington would allow only the Tobler run in six innings pitched, while Skie Munoz struck out a career-high seven batters while giving up one unearned run in the bottom of the seventh on the way to her second win of the season.
Long Beach State begins Big West Conference play this weekend, traveling to CSUN for a three-game set starting with a doubleheader on Saturday.
