Softball Returns Home To Host UC San Diego Starting Friday

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- After two weeks on the road, Long Beach State returns to the LBSU Softball Complex for a three-game series against UC San Diego. The series will kick off under the lights at 6 p.m. on Friday night before a Saturday doubleheader, with all three games broadcast live on ESPN+.

LEADING OFF
• 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.

• Long Beach State remains in first place in the league standings despite dropping their series against CSUN last weekend, one game in front of a three-way tie for second place. UC San Diego sits in 7th, three games back of the Beach. Deena Pederson leads the offense for the Tritons with a .398 batting average while Jada Cecil has started 15 games, posting a 1.98 ERA.

• Two specatcular catches from Sara Olson in left field help the Beach take an epic 6-4 win in 10 innings in the opening game of a three-game sweep at UC Davis. A Jacquelyn Bickar grand slam was the catalyst in a 10-2 win in game two, and Shannon Haddad's gem in the third helped the Beach close out the Aggies 2-0 in the finale.

• 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 an 1.64 ERA and have walked a league low 15 batters through nine games.

• A two-time Big West Pitcher of the Week, Shannon Haddad closed the UC Davis series with a complete game shutout, striking out six with no walks and not allowing an extra-base hit in the win. Haddad has now thrown three shutouts in four starts in conference play, striking out 26 with two walks.

• Long Beach State's 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.

• Long Beach State has made the most of their speed in the early part of the season showing in two different ways. The Beach has stolen 39 bases on the season, closing in on the school record of 53, set in 2007. Lilyanna Martinez and Sara Olson share the team lead with nine each, while Jacquelyn Bickar has eight leading a number of dangerous runners on the basepaths. Long Beach State also ranks in the nation's Top 10 with 13 triples, averaging 0.39 triples per game, with six players on the team hitting two ore more this season.

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 seven games with a team-best 2.40 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, and has gone 7-6 with 72 strikeouts and four 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 2.75 and innings pitched over 13 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 29.2 innings on the year with 29 strikeouts. Fernandez is third on the team with 33.0 innings pitched and has a 3-4 overall record on the year.

• Sophomore Carly Robbins has established herself as a team leader at Long Beach State after transferring to the program from South Carolina. Starting at third base all but one game this season, Robbins leads the team with a .344 batting average and second on the team in on-base percentage at .413 on the year.

• Junior Sara Olson is also hitting over .300 at .344 on the year, walking 12 times and slugging a team-best .489 with four doubles, three triples and a home run. Olson has also stolen nine bases, and ranks sixth in LBSU history in career stolen bases while playing tremendous defense in left field.

• Sophomore Corissa Sweet is another established regular Long Beach State, holding down a spot as the team's designated player. Batting .284 on the year, Sweet is one of four players with an on-base percentage of .390 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 13 walks and third on the team with a .397 on base percentage.

• Graduate transfer Teah Thies has secured a role as Long Beach State's starting catcher, slugging .392 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.

• Jacquelyn Bickar has returned as an everyday starter for the Beach. Now with three home runs on the year, Bickar has hit two grand slams and leads the team with 14 RBI on the year, batting .264 with 10 walks and eight stolen bases.

• 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 was also off to a strong start, but has been in and out of the lineup with injury of late.

THIS AND THAT
• A four-time Big West Coach of the Year selection, Kim Sowder enters her 17th season as head coach at Long Beach State, her Alma Mater, where she was an All-American shortstop. Sowder ranks fourth in career wins as a member of the Big West after winning her 500th career game earlier this season, and is one of 60 active coaches to have reached that milestone.

• The Beach will again play a strong schedule in 2023. Long Beach State will play six games against ranked teams this season, and have the 18th ranked non-conference strength of schedule in the country with a game remaining against UCLA coming up in April.

• After the first win against Cal State Fullerton in the final weekend of the regular season in 2021, Sowder joined Brian Kolze of Pacific, Judi Garman of Cal State Fullerton, and Long Beach State legend Pete Manarino as the only coaches to record 200 conference victories in the Big West.

• In addition to Sowder, Associate Head Coach Panita Thanatharn also played for the program, finishing her career as an All-Big West selection in 2007. Assistant Coach Kevin Castillo begins his seventh year with the program, and is a member of the USA Men's Fastpitch Softball National Team. Mariah Ramirez returns for her fifth season as the team's Volunteer Assistant Coach following a standout career at Utah.

• Long Beach State continues to have continued historical success, and has reached the 20-win mark in 37 straight full seasons and are three away from making it 38 in 2023. Additionally, Long Beach State has competed in 5 Women's College World Series, made the NCAA Tournament 25 times, and claimed 9 Big West titles.

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Players Mentioned

Jacquelyn Bickar

Cam Cecil

Sophia Fernandez

Samantha Fowler

Eryka Gonzales

Shannon Haddad

Lilyanna Martinez

Makayla Medellin

Sara Olson

Selena Perez

Carly Robbins

Corissa Sweet

Teah Thies

Long Beach State University Athletics