Softball Begins Big West Action Saturday, Hosting UC Riverside

Saturday, March 18

Long Beach, Calif.

3 p.m.

Long Beach State University

UC Riverside

Photo by: John Fajardo

Softball Begins Big West Action Saturday, Hosting UC Riverside

3/15/2023 10:27:00 AM | Softball

Week_6_-_UC_Riverside.pdf

Long Beach State will play their first conference game under the lights on Saturday.

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

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Conference play gets underway this week as Long Beach State continues their homestand, hosting UC Riverside to begin Big West action. In another first the opening day will feature the team's first home night conference game with a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m., followed by a Sunday matinee at 1 p.m.

LEADING OFF
• The Beach is coming off of a strong week despite rains playing some havoc with the schedule of the Louisville Slugger Invitational. Long Beach State grabbed their first ranked win of the year as Eryka Gonzales pitched a complete game and Sara Olson had three hits in a 2-1 win over No. 16 Baylor. LBSU also had two close one-run losses, one in extra innings, while convincingly beating Purdue 8-1 and winning an added game Monday against South Dakota, 4-1.

• Both Gonzales and Olson were recognized by the Big West for their efforts in the past week, with Gonzales named the Big West Pitcher of the Week while Olson was selected as the Big West Player of the Week. Gonzales earned the honor on the strength of her performance against Baylor, while Olson had a massive week, hitting a solo home run in a pinch hit appearance against CBU and ultimately batting .727 on the week, going 8-for-11 with two walks and a pair of stolen bases.

• The program debuted the new lights at the LBSU Softball Complex starting on Wednesday, February 15, hosting five games as part of the Wilson Invitational. The Beach picked up a pair of one-run victories at home, taking down San Diego and ULM as Long Beach State welcomed in near-capacity crowds throughout the week.

• Sophomore Shannon Haddad has given the Beach a lift in the circle with her return. Coming back after nearly a year and a half, Haddad has won four games with a team-best 2.95 ERA while facing most of the team's top opponents. Haddad leads the team in both strikeouts and innings pitched on the year. Haddad was the 2021 Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year, posting an 8-0 record with a 2.05 ERA.

• Also impressing early is sophomore Eryka Gonzales, who led CSUN with 70.2 innings pitched two seasons ago before also taking last season off. Gonzales is second on the team in ERA at 3.26 and innings pitched over 10 appearances with starts on the year.

• Making a pair of strong debuts, sophomore transfer Carly Robbins and true freshman Makayla Medellin were both selected for Big West weekly honors after the opening weekend 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.

• Medellin earned Freshman of the Week honors for a second time after the four games in San Diego, as she hit a team-leading .385 with a pair of doubles, including a 3-for-3 day against Boston on March 4.

• Long Beach State has made the most of their speed in the early part of the season with agressive baserunning. The Beach has swiped 27 bases this season, led by junior Lilyanna Martinez with nine while Jacquelyn Bickar (6) and Sara Olson (5) are both dangers on the basepaths as well.

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. She currently sits second on the team in strikeouts with 23.

• Sophomore Carly Robbins has got off ot a strong start for Long Beach State after transferring to the program from South Carolina. Starting at third base all but one game this season, Robbins istied for the team lead with a .333 batting average and leads the team in on-base percentage at .408 on the year.

• A monster week from junior Sara Olson has her back sharing the team's batting lead at .333 on the year while walking six times and slugging a team-best .492. With three doubles, two triples and a home run on the year, Olson has also stolen five bases, and ranks eighth in LBSU history in stolen bases.

• Graduate transfer Teah Thies has secured a role as Long Beach State's starting catcher, slugging .473 with two home runs, two triples and a pair of doubles. No stranger to the Big West, Thies starredfor UC Santa Barbara before joining the Beach for this season.

• Sophomore Corissa Sweet is another player who has played in every game for Long Beach State, holding down a spot as the team's most regular designated player. Batting .278 on the year, Sweet also leads the team with eight walks on the year.

• Junior Sinclair Lawhorn is among the team leaders with a .258 batting average, part of a trio of juniors who have been competing at first base for the Beach. Mikayla Ceballos is batting .300 and hit the go-ahead home run against Utah Valley, while Cassie Camou also has a home run on the year while starting in 10 games.

• Jacquelyn Bickar hit two home runs in San Diego, including the program's first grand slam since the 2021 season in a comeback win over Montana. An All-Freshman Team selection, Bickar also earned Honorable Mention All-Big West honors a year ago and is hitting .255 with two doubles to go with the two home runs.

• Fifth-year senior Cam Cecil has returned to the program and gives the program another experienced bat in the lineup while playing multiple positions defensively, slugging .314 on the year.

• 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.