Beach Edged On Senior Day

Saturday, May 11

Long Beach, Calif.

1 p.m.

Long Beach State University

25-25, 12-9

CSUN

26-28, 10-11

CSUN

Long Beach State

Photo by: John Fajardo

5/11/2019 5:01:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery Box Score - CSUN

Long Beach State fell 2-1 on the final day of the season against CSUN.

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Long Beach State battled back to tie the game at 1-1 in the fifth inning of a Senior Day pitcher's duel, but a CSUN run in the seventh inning allowed the Matadors to steal away with a 2-1 win in the final game of the series.

Long Beach State (25-25, 12-9 Big West) started eight seniors, including giving Sophia Valenzuela and Jessica Nogosek their first career starts. Valenzuela got in on the action, recording the second out of the inning on a 4-3 groundout, and Kellie White worked out of a jam to keep the game scoreless.

Sophia Valenzuela! Her first start and her first assist at second base four the fourth year senior! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/QvxndoD41D
— LBSU Softball (@LBSUSoftball) May 11, 2019

CSUN (26-28, 10-11 Big West) would get on the board first anyway, as Journey Rojas curled a solo home run down the left field line for a 1-0 lead.

Senior Taylor Jaurique, getting her seventh start of the season behind the plate, erased a pair of base-runners stealing, and helped keep the score 1-0 as Long Beach State continued to threaten but couldn't break through.

Second runner of the day gunned down! Senior to senior, Jaurique to Fry! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/EPc0OqpvTZ
— LBSU Softball (@LBSUSoftball) May 11, 2019

Pinch hitter Taylor Rowland doubled with one out in the fifth, and after Nichole Fry was plunked for the second time on the day, Lauren Lombardi delivered a base hit to score Jaurique and the Beach had tied the game at 1-1.

We're tied!! Lombardi brings home Jaurique and the Beach has runners on the corners! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/dwwCRTbNFs
— LBSU Softball (@LBSUSoftball) May 11, 2019

                Rojas would hurt the Beach again in the seventh inning, hitting a leadoff double. After moving to third on a groundout, a single to center field once more gave CSUN the lead.

                Jamie Wren hit a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh, her second hit of the day, but the Beach would strand their ninth base-runner of the day and fall 2-1. White struck out seven and allowed five hits with just one walk, but took the loss as Kenedee Jamerson earned the save after entering as a pinch hitter in the top of the seventh.

                The Beach finished the 2019 season at .500, marking the 34th time in the last 36 seasons LBSU hit that mark. Fry finished her career with 146 runs scored, a school record, while Lombardi became the seventh player in school history with 100 RBI. The pair were also the 10th and 11th career .300 hitters at the Beach, joined by Wren who hit .324 in her two seasons.