No. 18 Nebraska Defeats Long Beach State On Opening Day

Friday, February 9

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

1 p.m. PT

Long Beach State University

0-1

Nebraska

1-2

Long Beach State

Nebraska

Photo by: Diego Devia @Devia.Img

2/9/2024 3:24:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score - Nebraska

Senior Sara Olson had a double and a stolen base to start the season.

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

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico – Long Beach State struck first against No. 18 Nebraska, but the Huskers rallied to defeat the Beach in the opening game of the season, 7-2 at the Puerto Vallarta Collegiate Classic.

                Long Beach State (0-1) struck immediately in the top of the first to take a quick lead. Sophomore Makayla Medellin walked to start a rally, and senior Sinclair Lawhorn doubled to bring home the first run of the game.

                Nebraska (1-2) answered back in the bottom of the first inning, pushing across a run with a sacrifice bunt from Brooke Andrews.

                In the third, Sara Olson led off the inning with a double, and Medellin drove in the senior to give Long Beach State a second lead on the day. The Huskers again responded in the bottom half of the inning however. Caitlynn Neal start the inning with a walk, bringing up the top of the order for the Huskers, who loaded the bases in front of their three hitter, Brooke Andrews. Andrews doubled to clear the bases and Nebraska closed the inning with a 5-2 lead.

                The Huskers added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to extend their lead against reliever Eryka Gonzales, who pitched the most in the circle for Long Beach State. Freshman Kate Barnett made her debut in the sixth, throwing two thirds of an inning.

                A seventh-inning stolen base by Olson tied the senior with Sandra Ross Shirley for second all-time in career steals with 39.

                Long Beach State will face two more high-profile opponents on Saturday, taking on No. 1 Oklahoma at 11 a.m. and No. 9 Duke at 4:30 p.m. from Puerto Vallarta. Both games will have live coverage on FloSoftball.