Two Comebacks Not Quite Enough In Extra-Inning Loss To Boston

Monday, March 9

Long Beach, Calif.

10 a.m.

Long Beach State University

12-12

Boston University

14-7

Boston U

Long Beach State

Photo by: John Fajardo

Two Comebacks Not Quite Enough In Extra-Inning Loss To Boston

3/9/2020 2:55:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Long Beach State erased a five-run lead to force extra innings, but fell 9-8 to the Terriers.

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Long Beach State softball rallied from five runs down to force extra innings, but couldn't quite track down the Terriers in a 9-8 loss in eight innings to close the Louisville Slugger Invitational.

                Ashley Coleman got off to a quick start, retiring the first six batters she faced Monday against Boston (14-7), but squandered chances in the first and fourth innings would haunt Long Beach State (12-12), who ended up with 10 runners left on base throughout the game after leading the bases loaded in both of those innings.

                The first hit of the game for Boston was a big one, as Nicole Amodio hit a home run with two on to give the Terriers a 3-0 lead, and after the second bases loaded jam in the bottom of the fourth, a two-run double from AJ Huerta-Leipner made the score 5-0.

                Long Beach State's offense would finally get going starting in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out rally. Breezy Wise walked and then scored on a double from Alyssa Gonzalez. After a Maddy Ruffin hit, Taylor Rowland then singled home two more runs to bring the Beach to within two runs at 5-3.

                The top of the order brought the Beach all the way back in the next frame. Sara Olson tripled to start the inning, then scored on a Rylie Seip double. Wise then singled to score the speedy right fielder and tie the game at six, where it would stay through seven innings, forcing extra innings.

We're tied! Wise brings home Seip and we're square at 5-5! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/tm8OAFsdCT — LBSU Softball (@LBSUSoftball) March 9, 2020

                Presley Miraglia set down the Terriers in order in the sixth in seventh innings, but in the eighth, the sophomore hit the first batter of the inning, and then the tiebreaker run scored just in front of a throw to the plate to give Boston the lead. Two more hits in the inning extended the BU lead back up to four runs.

BREEZY WISE! Home run to right makes it 9-8 with Gonzo coming to the plate. #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/alngS11DOI — LBSU Softball (@LBSUSoftball) March 9, 2020

                A two-out walk left two on in the bottom half of the inning in front of Wise, who hit her second home run of the season, lifting a shot to right field to score three runs and cut the lead to one. Gonzalez singled, but the rally ended with a groundout from Ruffin and the Terriers held on for the win.

                Long Beach State will be back in action starting Thursday on the road in Fullerton at the Eastern Invitational hosted at Anderson Family Field. Check back throughout the week for the latest updates on the schedule at www.longbeachstate.com.