Long Beach State University
6-8
California
8-7
Massive Comeback Ends Up Unfinished For Softball
2/24/2019 3:13:00 PM | Softball
Jamie Wren hit her second grand slam of the season to tie the game, but Cal ended up the victors.
Long Beach State (6-8) would twice battle back for ties after taking an early lead, but California (8-7) continually had an answer in a thrilling game that was the last of the weekend for the Beach at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
The Beach scrapped a run across in the second to take an early lead. Getting a base-runner with an error, singles from Sydney McCollum and Justine Briones loaded the bases for Maddy Ruffin, whose grounder brought home the opening run of the game.
A Long Beach State error would help Cal answer back in the fourth, as the Bears scored three unearned runs to take a 3-1 lead. Nichole Fry hit her third home run of the weekend in the bottom of the fifth, tying the game and setting up the late-inning fireworks.
Kellie White picked up the first out of the sixth, but on the fourth trip through the lineup, Lindsay Rood hit a double to start a big rally for the Bears. A walk and an error loaded the bases, and the Bears capitalized with a two-run single and back-to-back home runs to take a 9-3 lead.
In the bottom half, Long Beach State matched the big inning however to tie up the contest once more. Taylor Rowland and Tierra Falo hit two straight singles to start the inning, and another hit from McCollum put one on the board for the Beach. After a walk to Briones loaded the bases, Cal reliever Kamalani Dung picked up two outs, but a walk to Hernandez kept the inning going.
Jamie Wren the smashed her second grand slam of the season, tying the game at nine with one swing.
?? Jamie Wren does it again! Her second grand slam of the season and we're tied at 9-9! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/D9rB2of41C
— LBSU Softball (@LBSUSoftball) February 24, 2019
In the top of the seventh, Cal took back the momentum with a double from Jordan Fines to start the inning, and pushed three across to retake the lead. The Beach put two on in the bottom half, but Dung was able to retire the bottom of the lineup to close out the win for Cal.
Tournament play continues next weekend for LBSU at the San Diego Classic. Action starts on Friday, with Long Beach State playing San Jose State and Illinois-Chicago. First pitch against the Spartans is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dung, Kamalani (4-3)
L: Coleman, Ashley (3-4)
Batting:
2B: Rood, Lindsay 1 ; Fines, Jordan 1
3B: Rood, Lindsay 1
HR: Smith, Makena 1 ; Perez, Alexandra 1
RBI: Rood, Lindsay 2 ; Bradley, Amani 2 ; Espalin, Lauren 2 ; Smith, Makena 4 ; Perez, Alexandra 1 ; Fines, Jordan 1
SF: Smith, Makena 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rood, Lindsay 2 ; Bradley, Amani 1 ; Coelho, Mikayla 2 ; Nunez, Sabrina 1 ; Smith, Makena 2 ; Perez, Alexandra 1 ; Sparacino, Karlee 1 ; Fines, Jordan 2
SB: Nunez, Sabrina 1
Batting:
2B: Hernandez, Naomi 1
HR: Fry, Nichole 1 ; Wren, Jamie 1
RBI: Fry, Nichole 2 ; Hernandez, Naomi 1 ; Wren, Jamie 4 ; McCollum, Sydney 1 ; Ruffin, Maddy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Fry, Nichole 1 ; Hernandez, Naomi 1 ; Wren, Jamie 1 ; Rowland, Taylor 1 ; Falo, Tierra 1 ; Salazar, Emily 1 ; McCollum, Sydney 1 ; Briones, Justine 1 ; Ruffin, Maddy 1
