No. 22 Softball Closes Non-Conference Slate At LMU

3/20/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball

March 20, 2018

Long Beach, Calif. -

LEADING OFF
• Softball finishes the non-conference schedule with a doubleheader on Saturday, playing at Loyola Marymount starting at 1 p.m. No. 22 Long Beach State won last week at Smith Field against the Lions, as the Beach rallied for a 9-6 win to cap off a perfect 5-0 week.

• Taylor Rowland's go-ahead grand slam was the biggest hit of that game, and capped a week where she had 14 RBI and hit .625 to earn Big West Player of the Week honors. Rowland leads the Big West and is 15th in the country with 33 RBI on the year.

• LBSU is having success in all facets of the game, as the Beach ranks in the nation's top teams in batting average, ERA and fielding percentage on the season. That success has translated to wins and a spot among the nation's elite, as Long Beach State ranked 20th in the first RPI released by the NCAA this week.

• Eye-popping offensive numbers mark the first part of the season for Long Beach State. Starting the week the 49ers are hitting .315 as a team, 27th in the nation, and also rank 42nd in slugging percentage among the 296 teams in Division I.

• The Beach has also done it with defense - the team has turned 12 double plays this season and ranks 18th in the nation with a .976 fielding percentage.

• Sophomore Cielo Meza has been the anchor for the Long Beach State pitching staff. Throwing a no-hitter against No. 21 Minnesota, last year's Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year is now 13-2 with a 1.62 ERA, and ranks 11th nationally with 127 strikeouts.

• Individually, freshman Naomi Hernandez and junior Nichole Fry have led the offense, winning Back-to-back Big West Player of the Week awards to start the season. The pair have combined for 86 hits this season and are both hitting over .375 on the year.

• Nichole Fry is putting up some of the top numbers in the country. Her 47 hits are third in the country, and her 12 doubles rank fourth this season as the junior is hitting .439 and reaching base over 50 percent of the time. She enters Saturday riding a 13-game hitting streak, tied for the fifth-longest in school history.

• Naomi Hernandez had a hot start to the season, and is still finding success in her first season of collegiate softball. Hernandez is second on the team with a .379 batting average, is tied for the team with 13 walks, and ranks 33rd nationally with 39 hits in 2018. Her ten doubles also rank 10th nationally in 2018.

PLAYER NOTES
• Despite bringing in 10 newcomers, the Beach is very experienced entering the 2018 season, featuring 15 upperclassman in a mix of returners, Division I transfers and junior college additions.

• Taylor Rowland tied a pair of school records in the record win against Buffalo, hitting a pair of home runs and finishing with 7 RBI, tying the school record set by Ashlynn Booker in 2014. Rowland, a sophomore transfer from Tennessee is batting .333 and leads the team with five home runs and 33 RBI.

• A two-year starter at second base for Ole Miss, Grayce Majam is returning to her native California for her final season of college softball, and has settled in quickly at Long Beach State. Majam has started all 31 games for the Beach and is hitting .318 with four doubles and a pair of home runs.

• Long Beach State's third Division I transfer, Jamie Wren is hitting .278 with four doubles and 13 RBI while playing in every game this season.

• Jessica Flores continues to play two ways, and is finding success in both. Hitting .288 with three doubles, a team-high four stolen bases and 10 RBI, the senior has also made 13 appearances in the circle, throwing 48.0 innings including a complete game shutout against Santa Clara.

• Along with Meza and Flores, Long Beach State returns one other pitcher in sophomore Devyn Magnett, Magnett has played in important role in the circle so far for the Beach, going 6-4 over 60.1 innings pitched while providing another steady option in the circle.

• Senior LT Torres made a position switch in 2018, moving to third base after starting for three years at second base. The switch hasn't been an issue however, as Torres is hitting .268 with 11 RBI and just two errors in 31 starts in 2018.

• Senior Julia Lombardi has rejoined the starting lineup for the Beach, hitting .302 with five RBI in 16 starts this season.

• Junior Tierra Falo had a strong start to the season. Earning All-Tournament Team honors in Puerto Vallerta, Falo has three home runs and has 18 RBI on the year.

• Behind the dish, Long Beach State will once again rely on senior Lauren MacLeod, who started 47 of the team's 52 games one season ago. Freshman Justine Briones has also helped shoulder the load, starting nine games this season while hitting .269.

• A trio of returning players will help Long Beach State capitalize on baserunners, with senior Rachel Loera, sophomore Andrea Guzman and redshirt freshman Taylor Tiger providing additional speed from the bench for the Beach.