Long Beach State University Athletics
Softball Hosts No. 16 Utah, CSU Bakersfield beginning on Saturday
2/16/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Long Beach, Calif. -
LEADING OFF
• Heavy rain in Southern California has already forced an adjustment to the planned schedule for this weekend, and play at the LBSU Softball Complex will now start on Saturday, as the Beach hosts No. 16 Utah at 9 a.m. The Beach will also host CSU Bakersfield, with the plan being to play both teams twice, once Saturday and once Sunday.
WHAT'S THE SCORE
• All games played at the LBSU Softball Complex can be followed through StatBroadcast at www.beachlivestats.com. The majority of LBSU home games will also have live audio through KBEACH at www.kbeach.org or through the KBEACH app based on student availability.
PLAYER NOTES
• Long Beach State is excited to welcome back three players that missed 2016 on medical redshirts in Lauren Lombardi, Summer Pohl and Cielo Meza. A 2015 first-team All-Big West selection, Lombardi had a big week in her first action after getting injured in the first game of the season a year ago, hitting safely in all five games, including a game-winning double against No. 22 Notre Dame. Pohl also made her first appearance last week after missing all of 2016, and Cielo Meza is close to full health as well.
• Clermont and Meza shared one mark in 2016, as each pitcher recorded 15 strikeouts in a game. Clermont reached the mark for the second time in her 49er career against Colorado State, while Meza struck out 15 less than one week later against San Jose State. The 15 strikeouts tied Brooke Turner for the most in a regulation game; Turner also struck out 16 in a 10-inning victory over Florida in 2008.
• Both Lombardi sisters are climbing the power ranks at Long Beach State. Having each played two seasons, Lauren ranks seventh all-time with 17 home runs in her career, while Julia Lombardi is one away from joining the Top 10, after hitting a solo home run against Weber State. Additionally, Lauren joined the top 10 in RBI, and now ranks 10th with 82 in her career.
• The Beach returns two offensive players who earned Big West honors one season ago. Julia Lombardi earned second-team All-Big West honors after hitting .310 with 10 doubles and five home runs while starting every game in 2016. She was joined by freshman Kelli Finan, who received honorable mention as well as All-Freshman Team selection after leading the 49ers with a .314 batting average in league play.
• The middle of the infield will be a returning strength for the Beach as well. In addition to the return of Lauren Lombardi, the Beach brings back a wealth of experience in catcher Lauren MacLeod, shortstop Nichole Fry and second baseman LT Torres. MacLeod stepped up in the absence of Lombardi and started 39 games behind the plate for the 49ers, hitting five home runs and handling the pitching staff capably. Fry started 54 games at shortstop in her first season at LBSU, and was one of the ten most difficult batters to strike out in the nation last season, while Torres continued to be an anchor at second, starting every game for the second straight season and hitting .289 with eight doubles.
• Two other returners recorded over 30 starts one season ago. Tierra Falo had an excellent first season, starting 44 games as the team's DP, hitting .289 with four home runs and five doubles, while Hannah Cookson finished the season with a .286 batting average with five doubles while starting 38 games in the outfield.
• 2017 marks an opportunity for two other returners to claim increased roles. Mattie Scheele returns for her fourth season at the Beach, and the senior will vie for time at third base where the 49ers are looking for a replacement for All-Big West and All-Region honoree Darian Tautalafua, while Rachel Loera, who had 14 at-bats in four starts in the outfield will press for more action alongside her usual usage as a pinch runner.
• Two transfers will likely make an immediate impact for Long Beach State in 2017. Sammi Gyerman is a graduate transfer from Iowa, where she started for three seasons. The outfielder earned Big Ten All-Defensive Team honors as a senior, and hit .279 while stealing 26 bases in 27 attempts. She is joined by a utility player in Jessica Flores. A two-time junior college All-American, Flores was a dominant hitter and pitcher at Arizona Western, where she hit .479 with 18 homes runs and also went 17-6 in the circle last season.
• Four freshman will also bolster the ranks for Long Beach State in 2017. Devyn Magnett will add depth to the pitching staff following a stellar career at Cathedral Catholic High School in San Diego, and will be joined by three freshman hitters in Andrea Guzman, Taylor Tiger, and Aniesa Maulupe. Maulupe was the 2016 City Section Player of the Year and comes from the same high school that produced LBSU's career home run and RBI record holder Darian Tautalafua.
• Sophomore Nichole Fry was named Big West Player of the Week after an outstanding first week of the season at the Beach Kickoff Classic. Helping the team to a 3-1-1 record with wins over #22 Notre Dame and San Diego State, Fry reached at a .632 rate, going 6-for-12 with two doubles and a triple, scoring four times and driving in four RBI while also walking four times and getting hit by two pitches. She slugged .833 on the weekend while starting every game at shortstop.
• Long Beach State returns seven position starters from the 2016 team that reached the NCAA Regionals last season, bringing back the regulars from every position except for third base, left field and center field. The Beach has over 60 percent of the team's at-bats from last season back in the lineup for 2017.
• Returning pitching is also a strength for the Beach. Christina Clermont returns for her third season with Long Beach State after earning first-team All-Big West honors in each of her first two seasons at LBSU. The 2015 Big West Co-Pitcher of the Year, Clermont went 23-12 one season ago and struck out 205 batters in 230.1 innings pitched. Cielo Meza and Skie Munoz also return for the Beach, with the trio accounting for nearly 90 percent of the team's starts and innings pitched one season ago.
• Clermont is within striking distance of a number of career records as Long Beach State. The senior is now 7 strikeouts away from becoming the fourth 49er with 400 strikeouts, and is climbing the career charts in both wins and complete games as well.
