Softball Continues Big West Play At UC San Diego

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State has won eight of their last nine games and aim to carry that momentum into this weekend's series against UC San Diego. The Beach and Tritons will start the series Friday before a Saturday doubleheader, with all three games on ESPN+.

LEADING OFF
• The Beach grabbed two more wins, winning the series against CSUN to improve to 7-2 in Big West action. Rebekah Durazo was the hero in the finale with a home run and a walkoff, part of two walkoffs in the series as the Beach has now grabbed 6 of their 8 home wins in the final at-bat.

• Senior Sophia Fernandez is now 4-1 in Big West action with an 1.22 ERA, throwing a league-high 46.0 innings pitched with 25 strikeouts in 7 appearances, throwing five 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Long Beach State received some bad news, as preseason All-Big West pitcher Shannon Haddad and senior Lilyanna Martinez were both ruled out for the remainder of the season. Haddad had not pitched for LBSU since the second weekend, while Martinez suffered a major knee injury against California Baptist. The pair have combined for four All-Big West selections in their time at the Beach.

• 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 43 stolen bases while Martinez is 5th overall with 36 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 .310 and has hit five doubles and three home runs, driving in 14 RBI in 27 starts this season while slugging a team-best .500.

• Senior Sara Olson continues to be one of Long Beach State's leaders, hitting .253 with a team high 19 walks and six doubles on the year while batting in the top half of the lineup. An outstanding defensive outfielder as well, Olson has six 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 .263 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.

• Junior Carly Robbins has had a solid start offensively for Long Beach State. An All-Big West selection a season ago, Robbins is batting .237 with four doubles, two triples and two home runs, slugging .387, third best on the team. Robbins also leads the team with 18 RBI and has started every game in the infield.

• Senior Sophia Fernandez has had to lead the way for Long Beach State in the circle. Fernandez has seven wins and a save this year for Long Beach State, pitching a team-high 92.1 innings, fourth-most in the Big West. Carrying the pitching load in the absence of Shannon Haddad and Eryka Gonzales, Fernandez has now thrown five 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 early in the circle for Long Beach State in 2024. Pitching primarily in relief so far, Barnett's 58.1 innings are second-most on the team, and her ERA is the second-lowest on the team.

• Senior Sinclair Lawhorn has established her spot in the starting lineup, batting .234 with four doubles and 8 RBI on the year while starting 25 games at first base. Lawhorn is leading the team with a .398 on-base percentage as a senior.

• 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.

• Rebekah Durazo has secured a starting role for Long Beach State, playing in 25 games and starting 21 this season. The junior sits third on the team with 12 RBI and has hit a pair of home runs, slugging .423 on the year.

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Players Mentioned

Kate Barnett

Jacquelyn Bickar

Rebekah Durazo

Sophia Fernandez

Eryka Gonzales

Shannon Haddad

Sinclair Lawhorn

Lilyanna Martinez

Makayla Medellin

Sara Olson

Carly Robbins

Corissa Sweet

Malayna Terrones

Long Beach State University Athletics