Strong Debuts Help Lift Long Beach State To Split On Opening Day

Thursday, February 9

Tucson, Ariz.

2 p.m. PT

Long Beach State University

1-0

Kansas

0-1

Kansas

Long Beach State

Strong Debuts Help Lift Long Beach State To Split On Opening Day

2/9/2023 6:42:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Teah Thies, Makayla Medellin both hit home runs in the game one win over Kansas.

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

TUCSON, Ariz. – Shannon Haddad returned to the circle in a complete game for Long Beach State, and the new bats gave the Beach a lift as LBSU held on to defeat Kansas in the first game of the year before falling to the hosts, No. 12 Arizona at the Arizona Candra Classic.

                Kicking off the new season, Long Beach State (1-1) held off Kansas (0-1) in the opening game of the year. The starting lineup featured three newcomers with a fourth coming on early, and the debutantes played a big role in the victory.

                Kansas struck first, taking advantage of two early walks to open up a 2-0 lead, but the Beach immediately pulled one back in the bottom of the first. Sara Olson was hit by a pitch, and scored on a double from Corissa Sweet.

                As Haddad settled in with three straight scoreless innings, the Beach rallied to take the lead. Senior Teah Thies made her debut for the Beach in her first plate appearance in the third inning, hitting a solo home run to right field to tie the game, and then the Beach took the lead after a Sinclair Lawhorn single with a two-run shot from Makayla Medellin as the Beach took a 4-2 lead.

                The next frame, Sara Olson again got the action started, this time with a single, and after a walk to Corissa Sweet, a single from Thies loaded the bases. Lawhorn brought in the first win run with a single, and then a bases-loaded walk from Carly Robbins scored a critical sixth run.

                Kansas battled back with solo home runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh, but Haddad didn't allow any other hits in those innings to hang on for the complete game victory in her first action for the Beach since April 17, 2021.

                Thies went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a home run, while Carly Robbins was 1-for-1 with an RBI while playing strong defense at third base. The Beach were also successful on the base paths, with junior Lilyanna Martinez stealing a pair while Olson swiped one.

                In game two, the hosts showed their strength in taking a big lead. After setting down the Beach in order, Arizona (1-0) loaded the bases and then Izzy Pacho cleared them with a grand slam. Another home run made the score 5-0 after one inning against the Wildcats.

                Long Beach State manufactured a run in the second inning, as Medellin doubled with two outs, and Robbins followed with an RBI single up the middle to cut the lead to 5-1. The Wildcats plated four more runs in the coming innings and finished off the 9-1 run-rule victory in five.

                The Beach will play two more games tomorrow in a similar schedule to Friday. Long Beach State will take on NC State on FloSoftball at Noon, before a rematch with the hosts Arizona starting at 5 p.m. PT on the Pac-12 Networks.