Softball Wins Two Saturday At UC Davis

Saturday, March 25

Davis, Calif.

1 p.m.

Long Beach State University

14-14, 4-0

UC Davis

15-9, 2-2

Long Beach State

UC Davis

3/25/2023 7:58:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

The Beach won a 10-inning epic before an offensive explosion late following a Jacquelyn Bickar grand slam in game two.

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

DAVIS, Calif. – Long Beach State extended their winning streak to seven games, improving to 5-0 in Big West play with a pair of road wins at UC Davis on Saturday. With the two wins, the Beach took their second straight Big West series.

                After a leadoff double from Jacquelyn Bickar, Long Beach State (15-14, 5-0 Big West) elected to push the sophomore over to third, and the following batter, Corissa Sweet was plunked to put runners on the corners. Continuing their aggressive baserunning, Long Beach State pulled off a double steal to grab the first run of the game.

                UC Davis (15-10, 2-3 Big West) had a quick answer in the first, as Anna Deflethson hit the first pitch of the game out of the park for a solo home run, but Shannon Haddad settled in and limited the damage to that over the next two innings. The Aggies took their first lead in the bottom of the third, putting a runner on after an infield single that came home after a wild throw from the outfield, allowing an unearned run to make the score 2-1.

                The seesaw continued in the fourth. A single from Cassie Camou and a walk to Cam Cecil put two on in front of Bickar, who picked up a big hit with a two-run single to put the Beach back in front. A Nakahara single started a rally for UC Davis, who would get one run in but three more stolen after a fabulous catch from Sara Olson in left field, pulling back a three-run home run from Grace Kilday.

Let's do it again! Jacquelyn Bickar with her second grand slam of the season busts this one open in the sixth inning! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/MvIzu5zhpb
— LBSU Softball (@LBSUSoftball) March 26, 2023

                Carly Robbins kicked off another rally for the Beach in the fifth. Ultimately loading the bases, Long Beach State retook the lead 4-3 after a rare sacrifice fly with an infielder making the play, a diving catch from the second baseman in shallow right field.

                The Beach couldn't take advantage of a bases loaded top half of the sixth, and the Aggies made them pay in the bottom half, as another first pitch home run, this time from Bella Pahulu tied the game once more at 4-4.

                Kennedi Brown returned to the circle for UC Davis at that point, and Sophia Fernandez took over for the Beach as both pitchers took over the game. Neither side was able to score through the seventh and eighth innings as Fernandez allowed just one hit in her first three innings of work.

                The Aggies loaded the bases in the ninth with no outs, but Fernandez responded with a pair of strikeouts and then Olson did it again, a diving catch going towards the fence to end the inning. The Beach then broke through the top of the tenth. Olson got the action started with a one-out walk, and after a single from Carly Robbins, an RBI hit from Emily Salazar gave the Beach the lead as Olson raced home.

Let's do it again! Jacquelyn Bickar with her second grand slam of the season busts this one open in the sixth inning! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/MvIzu5zhpb
— LBSU Softball (@LBSUSoftball) March 26, 2023

                Teah Thies brought home Robbins with a single for an insurance run, and Fernandez closed out the win with a 1-2-3 inning in the 10th, her fifth inning of work in relief. Thies finished with four hits while Robbins had three to lead LBSU at the plate in the 6-4 victory.

                Robbins got the Beach going in game two, singling to start the second inning, and working her way around the bases, eventually coming home to score on an RBI groundout from Cassie Camou. UC Davis similarly bounced back without a big in in the bottom half, taking a 2-1 lead. After a single, an error on a bunt attempt put two runners on, and then an RBI groundout and a bloop single gave the Aggies the lead.

                A leadoff triple from Emily Salazar helped Long Beach State even things up as offense continued to be at a premium in game two. UC Davis was able to get two outs, but Rebekah Durazo delivered the big hit, a double to score the senior and even the score at 2-2 in the fourth.

                Long Beach State was able to break the game open in the sixth inning. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases in the top of the sixth for the Beach, but UC Davis nearly escaped after getting two outs. The Beach scored a run on a wild pitch to take a 3-2 lead, scoring Emily Salazar. Pinch hitter Makayla Medellin loaded the bases once more with a walk, and then Bickar cleared them with her second grand slam of the season to increase the lead to Long Beach State's lead to 7-2.

Let's do it again! Jacquelyn Bickar with her second grand slam of the season busts this one open in the sixth inning! #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/MvIzu5zhpb
— LBSU Softball (@LBSUSoftball) March 26, 2023

The Beach added three more in the top of the seventh, with two errors and a triple from Lilyanna Martinez helping LBSU take a 10-2 lead. Eryka Gonzales picked up the win, not allowing an earned run over six innings of work, while Samantha Fowler closed out the victory.

The series concludes with a final game scheduled to begin at Noon on Sunday, March 26. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.