Saturday, March 16
Riverside, Calif.
1 p.m.
Long Beach State University
4-22, 0-1
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UC Riverside
7-14, 1-0
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6
7
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Long Beach State
1
0
0
0
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1
6
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UC Riverside
0
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0
0
2
2
7
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Photo by: JohnoMoto Photo
Medellin Leads Long Beach State To Split On Big West Opening Day
3/16/2024 7:22:00 PM | Softball
Makayla Medellin went 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI in a game two win.
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – After a heartbreaking loss in the bottom of the seventh scuttled a strong start from Sophia Fernandez, Long Beach State rebounded offensively in the second game. Makayla Medellin hit a pair of home runs and the Beach took game two 11-7.
Long Beach State (5-22, 1-1 Big West) got off to a great start in the opening game. Jacquelyn Bickar worked a leadoff walk and then came around to score on a double to right center from Makayla Medellin as the Beach took a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
That lead would be plenty for a long time for Sophia Fernandez, who took another hard-luck loss in the circle. The senior finished with another complete game, and put up six straight scoreless innings for Long Beach State, who maintained that 1-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, however, UC Riverside (7-14, 1-1 Big West) got the leadoff batter on courtesy of an error, and a bunt single put two on with no outs for the Highlanders. A fly out gave the Beach some hope of getting out of the inning, but a double by Gigi Araki tied the game with two in scoring position. The Beach loaded the bases with a walk, but a suicide squeeze executed perfectly gave UCR a 2-1 walkoff win to open the series.
In the second game, Long Beach State welcomed back Eryka Gonzales to the circle after missing time, and the junior responded with a fairly routine first inning.
The Highlanders had a big inning in the second. Jackie Alday and Briza Blanco had back-to-back hits to start the inning, and then Leah Brito hit a three-run home run to put UC Riverside in front. Gigi Araki followed with another home run to make the score 4-0 in the second.
Long Beach State answered with a long ball of their own in the fourth inning. Lilyanna Martinez reached on a single, and Sara Olson cracked a two-run home run to right center to cut the lead in half with one swing at 4-2.
The Beach chipped away more in the fifth inning. Medellin hit her second home run of the year to cut the lead to 4-3 with a leadoff home run. Sinclair Lawhorn and Rebekah Durazo followed with back-to-back singles, and after Martinez was plunked, Sara Olson walked to tie the game. With the bases still loaded, Mikayla Ceballos lifted a sac fly to center field, and heads-up baserunning from Martinez allowed the senior to score from second, pushing the lead to 6-4.
UC Riverside bounced back in the bottom half, as Blanco hit a two-run double to once again tie the game, this time at 6-6.
The seesaw continued in the sixth inning. Carly Robbins was plunked to start the inning, and then Medellin hit her second home run of the game, a two-run shot that put the Beach back in front. With the bases loaded in the seventh, back-to-back sacrifice flies from Carly Robbins and Medellin pushed the lead to 10-6. An RBI single from Sinclair Lawhorn made it 11-6, and despite another UCR home run in the bottom half of the seventh, Long Beach State closed out the win to split the day.
The series will decide a winner with a final game from Riverside on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. on ESPN+.
Long Beach State (5-22, 1-1 Big West) got off to a great start in the opening game. Jacquelyn Bickar worked a leadoff walk and then came around to score on a double to right center from Makayla Medellin as the Beach took a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
That lead would be plenty for a long time for Sophia Fernandez, who took another hard-luck loss in the circle. The senior finished with another complete game, and put up six straight scoreless innings for Long Beach State, who maintained that 1-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, however, UC Riverside (7-14, 1-1 Big West) got the leadoff batter on courtesy of an error, and a bunt single put two on with no outs for the Highlanders. A fly out gave the Beach some hope of getting out of the inning, but a double by Gigi Araki tied the game with two in scoring position. The Beach loaded the bases with a walk, but a suicide squeeze executed perfectly gave UCR a 2-1 walkoff win to open the series.
In the second game, Long Beach State welcomed back Eryka Gonzales to the circle after missing time, and the junior responded with a fairly routine first inning.
The Highlanders had a big inning in the second. Jackie Alday and Briza Blanco had back-to-back hits to start the inning, and then Leah Brito hit a three-run home run to put UC Riverside in front. Gigi Araki followed with another home run to make the score 4-0 in the second.
Long Beach State answered with a long ball of their own in the fourth inning. Lilyanna Martinez reached on a single, and Sara Olson cracked a two-run home run to right center to cut the lead in half with one swing at 4-2.
The Beach chipped away more in the fifth inning. Medellin hit her second home run of the year to cut the lead to 4-3 with a leadoff home run. Sinclair Lawhorn and Rebekah Durazo followed with back-to-back singles, and after Martinez was plunked, Sara Olson walked to tie the game. With the bases still loaded, Mikayla Ceballos lifted a sac fly to center field, and heads-up baserunning from Martinez allowed the senior to score from second, pushing the lead to 6-4.
UC Riverside bounced back in the bottom half, as Blanco hit a two-run double to once again tie the game, this time at 6-6.
The seesaw continued in the sixth inning. Carly Robbins was plunked to start the inning, and then Medellin hit her second home run of the game, a two-run shot that put the Beach back in front. With the bases loaded in the seventh, back-to-back sacrifice flies from Carly Robbins and Medellin pushed the lead to 10-6. An RBI single from Sinclair Lawhorn made it 11-6, and despite another UCR home run in the bottom half of the seventh, Long Beach State closed out the win to split the day.
The series will decide a winner with a final game from Riverside on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. on ESPN+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: PEREZ (2-1)
L: Fernandez, Sophia (3-9)
Batting:
2B: Medellin, Makayla 1
RBI: Medellin, Makayla 1
SH: Ceballos, Mikayla 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bickar, Jacquelyn 1
SB: Medellin, Makayla 1 ; Martinez, Lilyanna 1 ; Gonzales, KaLeena 1
CS: Medellin, Makayla 1
Batting:
2B: GAREWAL 1 ; ARAKI 1
RBI: CABEZAS 1 ; ARAKI 1
Base Running:
RUNS: DAVIS 1 ; KAHUNAHANA 1
SB: WITT 1
HBP: SCOZZOLA 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballC
/ SoftballP
/ SoftballP
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballINF
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