Critical Road Series Coming Up For Softball As Long Beach State Takes On Cal Poly

Saturday, April 20

San Luis Obispo, Calif.

1 p.m.

Long Beach State University

Cal Poly

Photo by: John Fajardo

Critical Road Series Coming Up For Softball As Long Beach State Takes On Cal Poly

4/16/2024 10:19:00 AM | Softball

Game Notes - Week 11

Long Beach State has a half-game lead over the Mustangs in the Big West standings.

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

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Following a sweep of UC Santa Barbara, Long Beach State will face a critical road series this weekend against Cal Poly, another title contender in San Luis Obispo. The three game series will have all games on ESPN+, with a doubleheader Saturday afternoon before a Sunday matinee to close the series.

LEADING OFF
• Senior Sara Olson had an on-base percentage of .667 last week, going 5-for-9 with three walks and a pair of stolen bases, leading from the leadoff position as the Beach held even with the league leaders with a three-game sweep of UC Santa Barbara. Mo Quinlan shined in the circle in relief for the Beach, throwing 7.0 scoreless innings and grabbing two wins, while Sophia Fernandez had a two-hit complete game with seven strikeouts in the opener against UCSB.

• Walkoff heroics have been a part of the LBSU DNA this season, with the Beach grabbing 7 of their 11 home wins this season on the final at bat, including the second game of the UCSB series on a Cassie Camou sacrifice fly to pull back a 3-2 deficit heading to the bottom of the 7th.

• Strong defense has also been a major piece of the team's recent success. Long Beach State ranks in the nation's Top 50 in both double plays per game as well as fielding percentage, now .970 on the year.

• Senior Sophia Fernandez is now 6-2 in Big West action with an 1.27 ERA, throwing a league-high 66.0 innings pitched with 35 strikeouts in 11 appearances, throwing seven complete games while leading the pitching staff in 2024.

• Fernandez earned Big West Pitcher of the Week honors after her series with UC Davis. Going 2-0 over 18.0 innings with just one earned run and a 0.39 ERA, Fernandez pitched an 11.0 inning complete game with a career-high tying seven strikeouts, before allowing just one unearned run in a 4-1 win to close the series in a second complete game.

• 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.

• With one final ranked opponent still ahead of them, 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.

• Long Beach State has had some hard luck with injuries, as starting pitchers Shannon Haddad and Eryka Gonzales as well as senior outfielder Lilyanna Martinez are likely out for the remainder of the season. The trio have received five All-Big West selections in their previous years at the Beach.

• Senior Sara Olson currently ranks second in career stolen bases at Long Beach State, and has her sights on the school record currently held by head coach Kim Sowder of 50. Olson ranks second currently with 45 stolen bases. Junior Jacquelyn Bickar also ranks in Long Beach State's Top 10 after recording her 26th career stolen base.

PLAYER NOTES
• After missing six games earlier in the year, 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 .330 and has hit seven doubles and three home runs, driving in 15 RBI in 33 starts this season while slugging a team-best .505. Medellin is leading the team in league play as well, batting over .400 while starting every game.

• Senior Sara Olson continues to be one of Long Beach State's leaders, hitting .287 with a team high 25 walks and seven doubles on the year while batting in the top half of the lineup. An outstanding defensive outfielder as well, Olson has eight 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 .271 with eight stolen bases, sharing the team lead with Olson. 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.

• Senior Sophia Fernandez has had to lead the way for Long Beach State in the circle. Fernandez has nine wins and a save this year for Long Beach State, pitching a team-high 112.1 innings, third-most in the Big West. Carrying the pitching load in the absence of Shannon Haddad and Eryka Gonzales, Fernandez has now thrown seven complete games in Big West action and ranks among the best in the Big West in ERA, innings pitched and opponent batting average in league play. 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.

• Freshman Kate Barnett has been a bright spot in the circle for Long Beach State to begin her college career in 2024. Pitching primarily in relief before being asked to start in the absence of Haddad and Gonzalez, Barnett's 70.1 innings are second-most on the team, and her ERA is the second-lowest on the team.

• Rebekah Durazo has secured a starting role for Long Beach State, playing in 31 games and starting 27 this season, primarily at catcher. The junior sits second on the team with 17 RBI and has hit a pair of home runs, slugging .435 on the year and leading the Beach in RBI in Big West action.

• Senior Jocylyn Vidal is making the most of her final season as a graduate transfer. Coming from San Jose State, Vidal has had a great run league play, batting .324 with a pair of home runs and 12 walks, leading the team with a .500 on-base percentage. On the year as a whole, she joins just Makayla Medellin and Rebekah Durazo in slugging over .400 for Long Beach State.

• Senior Sinclair Lawhorn has established her spot in the starting lineup, batting .237 with four doubles and 11 RBI on the year while starting 33 games at first base. Lawhorn is second on the team with a .392 on-base percentage as a senior.

• Junior Carly Robbins has started in all 41 games for Long Beach State, primarily at third base. An All-Big West selection a season ago, Robbins is batting .222 with four doubles, two triples and two home runs, slugging .352. Robbins also leads the team with 18 RBI.