Hernandez, Inae Named First Team As Six Honored For Softball All-Big West

Hernandez, Inae Named First Team As Six Honored For Softball All-Big West

5/18/2022 12:12:00 PM | Softball

Naomi Hernandez just the sixth player in school history to be named first-team All-Big West three times.

By: Roger Kirk, Associate Athletics Director, Communications & Broadcast

LONG BEACH, Calif. – After a strong season in the Big West, Long Beach State had six players named All-Big West as announced by the conference office on Wednesday.

                After another tremendous season, senior outfielder Naomi Hernandez was named to the First Team for the third time in her career. She joins an elite list of LBSU players to earn first-team honors in three or more seasons, just the sixth ever in the club with Stacy Van Essen, Erin Jones-Wesley, Meredith Cervenka, Shayna Kimbrough and Darian Tautalafua.

                Hernandez led Long Beach State with a .371 batting average, and led the team in walks with 30 on the year. Finishing the season on a 17-game reached base streak, Hernandez led the Big West in walks and was the best on the team with a .494 on-base percentage, a mark that also led the conference.

                She was joined on the first time by graduate transfer Ashleigh Inae. Inae started 49 games for the Beach at third base, and had an outstanding Big West campaign, leading the team in batting at .395 and sharing in the league lead with nine doubles. Inae also made just six errors over the campaign as a strong defensive presence for the Beach.

                Earning second-team honors was junior pitcher Samantha Fowler. Fowler was the rock of the staff, leading Long Beach State in wins, innings pitched and strikeouts on the season over the course of 32 appearances. Fowler tossed a no-hitter against CSU Bakersfield, and finished league play with a record of 12-3 with a 1.94 ERA and 96 strikeouts.

                Sophomore Sophia Fernandez also represented the Beach as an honorable mention selection. Fernandez shared in the league lead with a 1.33 ERA in Big West play, posting a 5-2 record over seven starts. Fellow sophomore Sara Olson also earned Honorable Mention, hitting .299 on the year with five doubles, 20 RBI and stealing 12 bases, the sixth-most in a single season at Long Beach State.

                True freshman Jacquelyn Bickar was a double selection, earning Honorable Mention in addition to being named to the All-Freshman team. Bickar started 50 games at second base, making just six erorrs, and hit .270 with 16 RBI. She lifted her batting average to .303 in league play, and was twice named the Big West Freshman of the Week.