Softball Hosts No. 2 UCLA Wednesday Night Under The Lights

Wednesday, April 19

Long Beach, Calif.

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

UCLA

4/18/2023 9:36:00 AM | Softball

Game Notes - Week 11

The Beach will then welcome Cal Poly to the LBSU Softball Complex for a three-game series over the weekend.

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

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State and UCLA will once again face off, with the game being played at the LBSU Softball Complex this Wednesday night at 6 p.m. Tickets for the game are already sold out, though a limited number of standing-room only tickets will be sold on Wednesday. Fans wishing to view the game live can do so as the Beach takes on the No. 2 team in the country on ESPN+.

LEADING OFF
• The Beach will then resume Big West play over the weekend, remaining at home to host Cal Poly for a three game series. The series will start with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 3 p.m., followed by a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m. All three games will be shown live on ESPN+.

• Long Beach State grabbed another conference series win, posting back-to-back shutouts of UC Santa Barbara on the road to remain tied at the top of the Big West standings. Shannon Haddad went 2-0 on the weekend with a 0.00 ERA to lead the pitching staff, while Makayla Medellin went 5-for-10 with 4 RBI on the weekend, hitting safely in all three games to earn Big West Freshman of the Week honors for the third time.

• Pitching has been the calling card of the Beach this season, particularly through league play so far. Long Beach State is second in the Big West with a 1.50 ERA in league games and have walked a league-low 30 batters through 15 games.

• Long Beach State has made the most of their speed this season, showing in two different ways. The Beach has stolen 45 bases on the year, closing in on the school record of 53, set in 2007. Lilyanna Martinez and Sara Olson both have 11 stolen bases, while Jacquelyn Bickar has 10 leading a number of dangerous runners on the basepaths. Long Beach State also ranks in the nation's Top 10 with 16 triples, averaging 0.41 triples per game, with six players on the team hitting two or more this season.

• The Beach will take center stage in broadcasts, as the remainder of the season's home contests will be carried live on ESPN+, with one exception as the Friday night season opener against Cal State Fullerton will be broadcast live nationally on ESPNU.

• A two-time Big West Pitcher of the Week, Shannon Haddad didn't get the nod this week but combined in two shutouts at UCSB, striking out 13 batters with just two walks and giving up only three hits. Haddad now has five shutouts in 8 starts during Big West play, and has a 1.13 ERA with 46 strikeouts and 7 walks in league action.

• Long Beach State's had an eight-game winning streak began during the end of the team's home tournament, 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 that tournament 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.

PLAYER NOTES
• 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 nine games with a team-best 2.08 ERA while facing most of the team's top opponents. Haddad leads the team in both strikeouts and innings pitched on the year, having pitched a new high of 104.1 innings pitched. Haddad was the 2021 Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year, and has gone 9-6 with 92 strikeouts and six shutouts in her return.

• Also impressing 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 2.62 and innings pitched over 14 appearances with six starts on the year, posting a 4-3 overall record.

• Returning pitchers Samantha Fowler and Sophia Fernandez have also played a big role on the year. The team's ace a season ago, Fowler struck out nine batters in a win over NC State, and has pitched 40.1 innings on the year with 40 strikeouts, including an eight-strikeout complete game shutout against UC San Diego. Fernandez is third on the team with 41.0 innings pitched and has a 4-4 overall record on the year.

• Junior Sara Olson is leading the team with a .351 batting average on the year, walking 13 times and slugging a team-best .514 with four doubles, four triples and two home runs. Olson has also 11 nine bases, and ranks fourth in LBSU history in career stolen bases while playing tremendous defense in left field.

• Sophomore Carly Robbins has established herself as a team leader at Long Beach State after transferring to the program from South Carolina. The team's regular started at third base, Robbins is second on the team with a .333 batting average and second on the team in on-base percentage at .404 on the year.

• Sophomore Corissa Sweet is another established regular Long Beach State, holding down a spot as the team's designated player. Batting .280 on the year, Sweet is one of four players with an on-base percentage of .380 or higher and is a perfect 4-for-4 in stolen bases on the year.

• 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. Cecil had the clutch hit to give the Beach the series sweep of the Highlanders, and has proven to be a tough out, leading the team with 14 walks and fourth on the team with a .388 on-base percentage.

• Jacquelyn Bickar has returned as an everyday starter for the Beach. Now with a team-high three home runs, Bickar has hit two grand slams and leads the team with 15 RBI on the year, batting .284 with 10 walks and nine stolen bases.

• Graduate transfer Teah Thies has secured a role as Long Beach State's starting catcher, slugging .404 with three 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.

• Lilyanna Martinez has started 27 games in the outfield, and is among the team leaders on on-base percentage at .382 on the year while also stealing a team-high 11 bases. The junior has been excellent in Big West action, hitting .346 and slugging .500 with a pair of triples.

• Freshman Makayla Medellin is now a three-time winner of the Big West Freshman of the Week award, and has had an outstanding first campaign. Hitting .346 in Big West play, Medellin has hit four doubless, a triple and two home runs while playing in three different positions defensively for LBSU, making no errors.

• In the infield, freshman Selena Perez has earned the nod as the team's everyday shortstop with her strong defensive play, while Emily Salazar has been a true utility player for the Beach, as the veteran has started 24 games in four different positions this season, and has now played in six different positions over her four years as Long Beach State. Finlally, Rebekah Durazo has played an increased role of late, and has started seven games in Big West play.