Softball Returns Home To Host Cal Poly

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Riding an 11-game winning streak, Long Beach State returns home to host Cal Poly for three-game series. Playing a doubleheader Saturday before a single game on Sunday, first pitch for both days is set for 1 p.m. All three games will be shown live via Beach Vision.

LEADING OFF
• With a sweep of the Mustangs, Long Beach State would tie the longest winning streak in program history of 14 games, set in 2018 also under Kim Sowder.

• A balance of strong hitting and pitching has led the Beach to success in 2021. As a team, the program is hitting .322, 12th in the nation, while the pitching staff has the 11th best ERA in the country at 1.66. Both marks lead the Big West. Of Long Beach State's five losses, four have come by just one run.

• Long Beach State's stars have been shining in 2021. Kellie White and Shannon Haddad in the circle, along with Naomi Hernandez, Alyssa Gonzalez, Suzy Brookshire and Breezy Wise are all having huge years in 2021, with five of those six having claimed Big West Weekly honors already this season.

• Alyssa Gonzalez was the latest recipient, as the junior continued her hot start, extending her hitting streak to 12 games while slugging 1.630 and driving in 10 RBI in the sweep at UCSB. Gonzalez now leads the Big West in batting and ranks seventh nationally in average at .494.

• Naomi Hernandez, who burst onto the national scene as a freshman, is having a return to the form that caught national attention 2018. Hernandez is batting .456 has reached base in 17 straight games while leading the Beach with 16 walks. At the top of the lineup, Hernandez has an on-base percentage of .563 which ranks 16th nationally.

• Suzy Brookshire is also hitting over .400 this season at .417, and leads Long Beach State and the Big West with 36 RBI and 9 home runs in just 25 games. Brookshire ranks nationally in both of those categories, as well as in slugging at .861 this season.

• In the series finale against UC Riverside, Suzy Brookshire etched her name in the Long Beach State record books, going 3-for-3 with a trio of home runs, the first player in the 41-year history of Beach Softball to hit three home runs in a game.

• Senior Breezy Wise returned after leading the Beach in batting in 2020, and is having another solid year, batting .329 with eight doubles, four triples and a home run while driving in 23 RBI.

• Long Beach State and No. 2 UCLA identified May 5 as a date to resume their March 4 game. Now a doubleheader, first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the LBSU Softball Complex.

PLAYER NOTES
• In the circle, Long Beach State has been led by a 1-2 punch of Kellie White and Shannon Haddad. The pair rank in the league's Top 5 in ERA, opposing batting average and wins and rank first and second in strikeouts in league play.

• Kellie White leads the Big West with an 0.78 ERA in conference play, and has posted a 10-3 overall record while ranking 17th in the nation with a 1.06 ERA. Her 66 strikeouts also lead the team, as do her 72.1 innings pitched.

• Meanwhile, as a freshman, Shannon Haddad has posted an unbeaten 8-0 record in 11 starts, and leads the Big West in strikeouts during conference play with 56. With 64 strikeouts on the year and just 10 walks, Haddad ranks 25th in K/BB ratio nationally and has played a part in four shutouts this season.

• Junior Emily Salazar went 7-for-12 with two doubles and triple against UC San Diego, and extended her hitting streak to 12 games, which is tied for the seventh-longest in school history and active heading into the UCSB series. The infielder is now batting .340 on the year for Long Beach State.

• Cam Cecil has all but two games this season shortstop for Long Beach State, including every game in Big West play. Hitting .305 with 15 RBI and a pair of home runs, Cecil has also been excellent defensively, making just four errors on the year while slugging .508.

• Two juniors have split the duties behind the plate this season, returner Justine Briones and transfer Ashley Machado. Briones is hitting .381 now with a home run and three doubles in eight starts, while Machado is hitting .217 with 8 RBI, including a critical three-run home run against Loyola Marymount.

• Lilyanna Martinez has been a bright spot among the true freshman who have joined the program this season. Martinez has made 11 starts and is hitting .389 as well as showcasing her speed on the basepaths, a perfect 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts. Sophia Fernandez has also had a strong start at the plate, hitting .300 with a pair of walks in 13 plate appearances.

• In addition to Kellie White, Long Beach State had three other pitchers returning. Samantha Fowler has made the most of her time in the circle, posting a 1.70 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 12.1 innings pitched,while Morgan Quinlan has made a pair of starts and struck out 11 with a 1-1 record.

Calendar

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Justine Briones

Suzy Brookshire

Cam Cecil

Sophia Fernandez

Samantha Fowler

Alyssa Gonzalez

Shannon Haddad

Naomi Hernandez

Ashley Machado

Lilyanna Martinez

Mo Quinlan

Emily Salazar

Kellie White

Breezy Wise

Long Beach State University Athletics