Softball Hosts CBU, UC Davis This Week In Return To LBSU Softball Complex

Wednesday, March 20

Long Beach, Calif.

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

California Baptist

Photo by: Diego Devia @Devia.Img

Softball Hosts CBU, UC Davis This Week In Return To LBSU Softball Complex

3/19/2024 10:42:00 AM | Softball

Game Notes - Week 7

The Beach won their opening series of Big West play last weeked at UC Riverside.

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

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State will host four games this week, starting with a non-conference matchup with California Baptist before hosting UC Davis for three games over the weekend. CBU enters the week with a 14-15 overall record, while the Aggies dropped their first series in Big West play.

LEADING OFF
• Against UC Riverside, Long Beach State saw Sophia Fernandez have a great start in the circle with a 1.43 ERA, striking out 10 batters over 14.2 innings while the Beach offense was paced by Sinclair Lawhorn who hit .571 and Makayla Medellin, who hit a pair of home runs as the Beach won the series against the Highlanders.

• Long Beach State opened their home schedule with a thrilling win over Michigan. Junior Corissa Sweet had both a game-tying RBI to extend the game into extra innings as well as the game-winning RBI in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Beach walked off the Wolverines 7-6.

• Freshman Malayna Terrones hit a two-run home run in that game as well as a second home run in a win over San Jose State. Slugging .648 over six games, Terrones became the first player for Long Beach State to earn a Big West weekly honor, named the Big West Freshman of the Week on March 4.

• Through 25 games, Long Beach State has played eight opponents in the Top 25, and faced the second toughest strength of schedule in Division I during the non-conference per Massey Ratings, just behind Baylor.

• The Beach started the season at the Puerto Vallarta Collegiate Classic, and faced three teams in the Top 20, battling the distance in all four but not coming away with a win. Starting pitchers Eryka Gonzales and Shannon Haddad were both named to the All-Tournament team, while the offense was led by juniors Corissa Sweet and Jacquelyn Bickar.

• Shannon Haddad, Sara Olson and Jacquelyn Bickar were all selected for the 2024 Big West Preseason All-Big West team as selected by the coaches, the most individuals chosen from any team. The Beach and Cal State Fullerton were once again tabbed to finish top two after the rivals have battled for the championship in each of the last three seasons.

• In 2023 Long Beach State broke the school single-season stolen base record with 60, breaking the record of 53 set during the 2007 season. Lilyanna Martinez, Sara Olson and Jacquelyn Bickar all had 13 or more stolen bases and return in 2024.

• Both seniors, Sara Olson and Lilyanna Martinez are both in the program's top 5 in career stolen bases, and have their sights set on the school record currently held by head coach Kim Sowder. Olson ranks second currently with 42 stolen bases while Martinez is 5th overall with 36 stolen bases. Junior Jacquelyn Bickar also needs just one stolen base to join Long Beach State's Top 10.

PLAYER NOTES
• Senior Sara Olson continues to be one of Long Beach State's leaders, hitting .272 with a team-high 22 hits, 15 walks and six doubles on the year while batting in the top half of the lineup. An outstanding defensive outfielder as well, Olson has five stolen bases this season and is searching for another All-Big West selection in 2024.

• Junior Jacquelyn Bickar is also among the team leaders in hitting so far this season, batting .289 with eight stolen bases leading the team. A first-team All-Big West selection in 2023, Bickar has been an everyday starter for three seasons and joined Sara Olson and Lilyanna Martinez in the program's career Top 10 in steals.

• After missing six games, defending Big West Freshman of the Year Makayla Medellin has returned in a big way for the Beach. Medellin is leading the team in batting at .295 and has hit four doubles and three home runs, driving in 13 RBI in 20 starts this season.

• Junior Carly Robbins has had a solid start offensively for Long Beach State. An All-Big West selection a season ago, Robbins is batting .71 with two doubles, two triples and two home runs, slugging .443 to be second on the team behind Medellin and leads the team with 16 RBI, starting every game in the infield.

• Lilyanna Martinez had a strong weekend at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, and is batting .254 while playing in every game, primarily in center field. The senior is a perfect 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts this season, and now ranks 5th in career steals at the Beach. She also shares the single-season with head coach Kim Sowder after swiping 19 bags last season on the way to second-team All-Big West honors.

• Freshman Malayna Terrones was named the Big West Freshman of the Week on March 4 after hitting a pair of home runs against Michigan and San Jose State. A true freshman from Los Alamitos HS, Terrones has 5 RBI on the year and has started 10 games for the Beach.

• Two Division I transfers are making an impact for Long Beach State as well. Jaeden Barajas has started 11 games behind the plate for Long Beach State and is second on the team with ten walks and a .386 on-base percentage on the year. Jocylyn Vidal is among the team leaders with seven RBI, splitting time between third base and DP in 2024.

• Senior Sophia Fernandez has had to lead the way for Long Beach State in the circle. Fernandez has four wins and a save this year for Long Beach State, pitching a team-high 60.0 innings. Carrying the pitching load in the absence of Shannon Haddad and a lighter workload for Eryka Gonzales, Fernandez pitched a pair of complete games at UC Riverside and is among the Big West best in conference play in ERA, innings pitched and opponent batting average. Last season, Fernandez went 7-1 in Big West play with six starts, and held opponents to a Big West leading .149 hitting in conference play while posting a 1.25 ERA, earning second-team All-Big West honors.

• Junior Eryka Gonzales has started nine games this season for Long Beach State, pitching 34.0 innings in the circle for LBSU. A second-team All-Big West pick in 2023 Gonzales was the team leader in ERA at 1.95 and was third in innings pitched over 19 appearances with seven starts on the year, posting a 6-3 overall record.

• Freshman Kate Barnett has been a bright spot early in the circle for Long Beach State in 2024. Pitching primarily in relief so far, Barnett's 48.2 innings are second-most on the team, and her ERA is the lowest on the team.

• Junior Shannon Haddad has missed been out since Feb. 17 after trying to work through an injury to start the year. The Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year in 2021 with an 8-0 record and a 2.05 ERA Haddad went 13-10 over 146.1 innings pitched, striking out 109 with a 2.10 ERA in 2023.

• Other key players for Long Beach State include a trio of senior first basemen who will battle for time in Sinclair Lawhorn, Mikayla Ceballos and Cassie Camou. Sophomore Selena Perez has started 19 games at shortstop and has made just three errors, while Rebekah Durazo and Savannah Magadan have combined to start 17 games behind the plate in support of Jaeden Barajas.