Softball Closes Home Schedule With Cal State Bakersfield Series

Friday, May 3

Long Beach, Calif.

3:30 p.m.

Long Beach State University

Cal State Bakersfield

Photo by: John Fajardo

Softball Closes Home Schedule With Cal State Bakersfield Series

5/1/2024 2:37:00 PM | Softball

Game Notes - Week 13

Long Beach State hosts the Runners for three games starting Friday.

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

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State finishes their home schedule with a three-game homestand against Cal State Bakersfield. The Beach will play an evening doubleheader Friday night starting at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN+ before Senior Day on Saturday at 1 p.m.

LEADING OFF
• The Beach will recognize their nine seniors following Saturday's game, a large group that sees Jaeden Barajas, Cassie Camou, Mikayla Ceballos, Sophia Fernandez, Sinclair Lawhorn, Lilyanna Martinez, Mo Quinlan, Sara Olson and Jocylyn Vidal playing in their final home games for Long Beach State.

• Long Beach State won their seventh straight Big West series, taking two of three from Hawai'i last week to strengthen their place near the top of the Big West standings. Sophia Fernandez earned the win in both victories with a pair of complete games, striking out ten and allowing just two runs over 14.0 innings. That effort led to her second Big West Pitcher of the Week award this season.

• Walkoff heroics have been a part of the LBSU DNA this season, with the Beach grabbing 7 of their 13 home wins this season on the final at bat.

• 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, starting the week at .970 on the year.

• Senior Sophia Fernandez is now 9-3 in Big West action with a 1.28 ERA, throwing a league-high 93.0 innings pitched with 50 strikeouts in 15 appearances, throwing 11 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.

• Long Beach State has played nine 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 .359 and has hit 10 doubles and three home runs, driving in 18 RBI in 40 starts this season while slugging a team-best .523. Medellin is leading the team in league play as well, now batting .437 while starting every game in Big West action.

• Senior Sara Olson continues to be one of Long Beach State's leaders, hitting .275 with a team high 28 walks and eight doubles on the year while batting in the top half of the lineup. Olson's 25 runs and .395 on-base percentage are both second on the team, just behind Medellin. 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 .267 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 12 wins and a save this year for Long Beach State, pitching a team-high 139.1 innings, fourth in the Big West. Carrying the pitching load in the absence of Shannon Haddad and Eryka Gonzales, Fernandez has now thrown 11 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.

• 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 86.1 innings are second-most on the team, and her ERA is the second-lowest on the team. Additionally, Barnett has a 1.93 ERA in Big West play while starting five games.

• Rebekah Durazo has secured a starting role for Long Beach State, playing in 38 games and starting 34 this season, primarily at catcher. Now second on the team in batting with a .281 average, the junior leads the team with 22 RBI and has hit three home runs, slugging .461 on the year. In Big West play, the catcher is hitting .316 while slugging over .544.

• 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 .302 with a pair of home runs and 12 walks, reaching at a .424 on-base percentage.

• Senior Sinclair Lawhorn has established her spot in the starting lineup, batting .245 with six doubles and 14 RBI on the year while starting 39 games at first base. Lawhorn is third on the team with a .390 on-base percentage as a senior, walking 19 times in 2024.

• Junior Carly Robbins has started in all 48 games for Long Beach State, primarily at third base. An All-Big West selection a season ago, Robbins is batting .222 with six doubles, two triples and two home runs, slugging .349 with 19 RBI, second-most on the team.

• Corissa Sweet has rounded out the everyday outfielders for Long Beach State in league play alongside Sara Olson and Makayla Medellin. Sweet has played in 41 games and is batting and is batting .224 with a pair of doubles.

• 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.

• Other key players for Long Beach State include a pair of seniors in Mikayla Ceballos and Cassie Camou who give the Beach some pop off of the bench or at DP. Sophomore Selena Perez has started 36 games at shortstop and has made just six errors as an outstanding defender.