Long Beach State University Athletics
Monday, March 22
Long Beach, Calif.
10 a.m.
Long Beach State University
7
vs
3
UC Riverside
Photo by: Joseph Kling
Brookshire Blasts Beach Past UC Riverside
3/22/2021 1:30:00 PM | Softball
Senior Suzy Brookshire sets a school record with three home runs in the game to lead LBSU to a sweep of UC Riverside.
LONG BEACH, Calif. – Three trips to the plate meant three home runs for senior Suzy Brookshire, who set a Long Beach State record by hitting three homers in one game, carrying the offense to a 7-3 victory over UC Riverside Monday.
The win also gave Long Beach State (7-4, 3-0 Big West) a series sweep of the Highlanders after taking both halves of the doubleheader on Sunday.
The Beach didn't waste any time taking a lead, as Alyssa Gonzalez reached in front of Brookshire in her first plate appearance batting cleanup, who lifted a ball to center field to give the Beach a 2-0 edge. A solo shot in the third inning in her second plate appearance gave the Beach a 3-0 lead.
UC Riverside (1-11, 0-3 Big West) threatened with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to one. Two errors in the inning around a pair of singles allowed the Highlanders to push two across, but the Beach bounced right back.
Cam Cecil opened the bottom of the fourth with a double, and after a single from Sophia Fernandez, the Beach executed a perfect double steal to bring home a key run of cushion, and then scored one more on savvy base-running from Maddy Ruffin to make the score 5-2.
After the Highlanders picked up a third unearned run in the fifth inning, Brookshire slammed the door shut with her own piece of history. The 31st to hit two home runs in a game, Brookshire's third home run added two more runs and made her the first player in the 41-year history of the program to hit three home runs in a game, making the score 7-3.
Kelli White picked up her fourth win of the season, striking out six over five innings pitched, while Shannon Haddad struck out three and allowed just one hit in a two-inning relief appearance.
Big West play continues on Saturday as Long Beach State hits the road for a three-game series at UC Davis. The Beach will play a doubleheader Saturday followed by a single game at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
The win also gave Long Beach State (7-4, 3-0 Big West) a series sweep of the Highlanders after taking both halves of the doubleheader on Sunday.
The Beach didn't waste any time taking a lead, as Alyssa Gonzalez reached in front of Brookshire in her first plate appearance batting cleanup, who lifted a ball to center field to give the Beach a 2-0 edge. A solo shot in the third inning in her second plate appearance gave the Beach a 3-0 lead.
UC Riverside (1-11, 0-3 Big West) threatened with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to one. Two errors in the inning around a pair of singles allowed the Highlanders to push two across, but the Beach bounced right back.
Cam Cecil opened the bottom of the fourth with a double, and after a single from Sophia Fernandez, the Beach executed a perfect double steal to bring home a key run of cushion, and then scored one more on savvy base-running from Maddy Ruffin to make the score 5-2.
After the Highlanders picked up a third unearned run in the fifth inning, Brookshire slammed the door shut with her own piece of history. The 31st to hit two home runs in a game, Brookshire's third home run added two more runs and made her the first player in the 41-year history of the program to hit three home runs in a game, making the score 7-3.
Get in the record books Suzy! Three home runs in a game is a new Long Beach State record!! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/TRnPvriAgS
— LBSU Softball (@LBSUSoftball) March 22, 2021
Kelli White picked up her fourth win of the season, striking out six over five innings pitched, while Shannon Haddad struck out three and allowed just one hit in a two-inning relief appearance.
Big West play continues on Saturday as Long Beach State hits the road for a three-game series at UC Davis. The Beach will play a doubleheader Saturday followed by a single game at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Record breaking day for Suzy Brookshire as @LBSUSoftball picks up the ?? sweep of UC Riverside! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/Ly0RTajNDy
— LBSU Softball (@LBSUSoftball) March 22, 2021
Players Mentioned
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UTL
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UTL
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