Softball Returns For Home Opener In First Games With Newly Installed Lights At LBSU Softball Complex

Wednesday, February 15

Long Beach, Calif.

3 p.m.

Long Beach State University

San Diego

Softball Returns For Home Opener In First Games With Newly Installed Lights At LBSU Softball Complex

2/14/2023 2:31:00 PM | Softball

Game Notes - Week 2

The Beach will play their first game under the lights tomorrow.

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

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- It's time to shine bright as Long Beach State returns home for the week and debut the new lights out at the LBSU Softball Complex! The Beach hosts San Diego for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, with the second game being the first game under the lights at the home diamond for the Beach as part of the team's home opener.

LEADING OFF
• After that, the field will continue to be busy as the Beach hosts the first of two tournaments this season. California, Louisiana-Monroe (ULM) and UC Davis will be coming to the Beach for 8 games over three days, with Long Beach State playing three; two against Cal and closing the tournament against ULM.

• Merrimack dropped out of the tournament forcing a number of time changes, so please visit www.longbeachstate.com throughout the week for the latest schedule. Most notably, Long Beach State will be playing ULM at 10 a.m., an earlier time that originally scheduled.

• Long Beach State started off the season on the road, and went 2-1 with a one-run loss in games not against their hosts at the Arizona Candrea Classic, the #12 Arizona Wildcats.

• Making a pair of strong debuts, sophomore transfer Carly Robbins and true freshman Makayla Medellin were both selected for Big West weekly honors after their time in Tucson. Robbins hit .538 with a .625 on-base percentage over the weekend to be named the Big West Player of the Week, while Medellin hit a pair of home runs and had five RBI over the five games to earn Big West Freshman of the Week.

• Long Beach State has made the most of their speed in the early part of the season with aggressive baserunning. Ranking in the Top 50 in the nation in steals per game, the Beach was 8-for-9 in stolen base attempts in Arizona, led by junior Lilyanna Martinez who was 3-for-3 on the weekend.

• The pitching staff looks to be a strength again for Long Beach State in the coming season, as LBSU returns all five pitchers from last season, 100% of the team's 333.2 innings pitched in 2022. Second Team All-Big West selection Samantha Fowler and Honorable Mention All-Big West Sophia Fernandez combined for 36 starts last season, and both return along with the rest of the staff in Shelby Frutoz, Mo Quinlan and Addison Kostrencich.

• That quintet will be joined by two collegiate veterans. Shannon Haddad returns for the Beach and will play a big role in the circle for LBSU this year. The 2021 Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year, Haddad had an 8-0 record with a 2.05 ERA in 13 appearances before missing nearly a year and a half with injury, but has fully rehabbed and is set to go for this season. Also joining the squad is sophomore Eryka Gonzales, who led CSUN with 70.2 innings pitched two seasons ago before also taking last season off.

PLAYER NOTES
• Senior Samantha Fowler served as the team's top pitcher a year ago, making 32 appearances and leading the Beach with 137.0 innings pitched and 128 strikeouts across 21 starts. In league play, Fowler ranked in the Big West's Top 5 in innings pitched and strikeouts while winning 12 games, second-best in the league, earning second team All-Big West honors. Fowler is off to a strong start in 2023, striking out 9 in a 4-2 win over NC State.

• Another returning starter, Sophia Fernandez led the team with a 2.45 ERA and led the Big West in conference play with a 1.33 ERA. In 15 starts, Fernandez went 8-5 and finished the year with 58 strikeouts over 103.0 innings pitched, earning Honorable Mention All-Big West.

• Junior Sara Olson is back as the team's top returning hitter from a season ago. Off to a fast start after earning All-Tournament Team honors at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge, Olson finished third on the team with a .299 batting average, and led the team with 12 stolen bases, ranking sixth in single-season history at LBSU while making 49 starts. Olson earned Honorable Mention All-Big West honors after a consistent campaign.

• Lilyanna Martinez returns to the outfield for Long Beach State. An Honorable Mention All-Big West selection in 2021, Martinez made a late debut in the season, making her first start in late March but ultimately started 19 games, hitting .260 with five RBI and three stolen bases. Martinez hit .351 in 2021 before an injury prematurely ended her season, ending in an extensive rehab that delayed her return in 2022. An outstanding student, Martinez is looking to complete her first full year of competition at the Beach.

• Sophomore Corissa Sweet started all five games as Long Beach State's designated player in
Arizona, and responded well, hitting .462 with a pair of doubles and walking four times for an on-base percentage of .588. Sweet hit .274 last season for Long Beach State as a starter.

• A two-time Big West Freshman Player of the Week in 2022, Jacquelyn Bickar started 50 games at second base in her first season, finishing third on the team in batting at .303 in league play while hitting three doubles, a pair of triples and a home run against Oklahoma. An All-Freshman Team selection, Bickar also earned Honorable Mention All-Big West honors.

• Emily Salazar returns for the Beach after missing the 2022 season due to a knee injury. Salazar started 33 games in 2021, hitting .301 with seven doubles in her last full season, earning All-Big West honors.

• Two Division I transfers are set to make their debut in the infield this season for Long Beach State as well. Carly Robbins is a local product from Los Alamitos High School who returned after the pandemic season with South Carolina and is slated to start the season at third base, while veteran Big West catcher Teah Thies has joined the Beach as a graduate transfer from UC Santa Barbara, where she played over 150 games and earned All-Big West honors in 2021.

• Two true freshman are in the mix for the Beach as well. Selena Perez has earned the nod at shortstop, coming to the Beach as an out-of-state recruit from Chandler, Arizona. Makayla Medellin will likewise press for time in the outfield after a stellar career at Yorba Linda High School.