Big West Title On The Line As Softball Travels To Cal State Fullerton

Friday, May 10

Fullerton, Calif.

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

Cal State Fullerton

Photo by: John Fajardo

Big West Title On The Line As Softball Travels To Cal State Fullerton

5/7/2024 10:29:00 AM | Softball

Game Notes - Week 14

The winner of the series will claim the 2024 Big West Championship.

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

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- For the fourth year in a row, the Big West championship will come down to the final weekend between Long Beach State and Cal State Fullerton. This year's edition of the rivalry will be held in Fullerton, with a Friday night first pitch at 6 p.m. before a Saturday doubleheader closing out the league schedule at 2 p.m. All three games will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

LEADING OFF
• Needing a sweep at home in 2021 and 2023, Long Beach State finished off the job in two memorable series to claim the title, while Cal State Fullerton had their turn in 2022 after winning two of three from the Beach in Fullerton.

• Long Beach State has now won all eight of their Big West series to date after a dominant sweep of Cal State Bakersfield. Senior Jocylyn Vidal was unbelievable during the weekend, perfect from the plate with a batting average of 1.000, going 8-for-8 with a walk, a home run and four doubles while driving in eight RBI to highlight the effort from the Beach.

• Walkoff heroics have been a part of the LBSU DNA this season, with the Beach grabbing 8 of their 16 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 11-3 in Big West action with a 1.17 ERA, throwing a league-high 102.0 innings pitched with 61 strikeouts in 17 appearances, throwing 11 complete games while leading the pitching staff in 2024.

• Fernandez and Cal State Fullerton ace Hailey Rainey both come into the final series sharing the league lead in ERA and wins at 1.17 and 11 respectively, setting up what should be a great showdown over the final three games.

• A two-time Big West Pitcher of the Week, Fernandez' first win came following 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. Fernandez also earned the honor for her work during the Hawai'i series.

• 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.

PLAYER NOTES
• Defending Big West Freshman of the Year Makayla Medellin has returned in a big way for the Beach.
A Big West Player of the Year candidate, Medellin is leading the team in batting at .370 and has hit 10 doubles and three home runs, driving 19 RBI and slugging a team-best .526. Those numbers are even higher in league play, where she is batting .449 and slugging .641.

• Jocylyn Vidal's massive weekend against Cal State Bakersfield has lifted the senior among the Big West leaders in batting as well. Vidal is leading the league in both slugging percentage and OPS, with Medellin in second as the two remain two of the league's most dangerous hitters in the middle of the lineup.

• Senior Sara Olson continues to be one of Long Beach State's leaders, hitting .281 with a team high 30 walks and eight doubles on the year while batting in the top half of the lineup. Olson's 31 runs and .401 on-base percentage are both top three on the team. An outstanding defensive outfielder as well, Olson has nine stolen bases this season and is searching for another All-Big West selection in 2024.

• 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 enters the weekend with 46 career stolen bases. Junior Jacquelyn Bickar also ranks in Long Beach State's Top 10 after recording her 28th career stolen base.

• Junior Jacquelyn Bickar is also among the team leaders in hitting so far this season, batting .271 with 10 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 earlier this year.

• Senior Sophia Fernandez has had to lead the way for Long Beach State in the circle. Fernandez has 14 wins and a save this year for Long Beach State, pitching a team-high 148.1 innings, third 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 89.2 innings are second-most on the team, and her ERA is the second-lowest on the team. Additionally, Barnett has a 1.76 ERA in Big West play while starting six games.

• Rebekah Durazo has secured a starting role for Long Beach State, playing in 40 games and starting 36 this season, primarily at catcher. Batting .266, the junior leads the team with 23 RBI and has hit three home runs, slugging .436 on the year. In Big West play, the catcher is hitting .290 while slugging over .500.

• Senior Sinclair Lawhorn has established her spot in the starting lineup, batting .260 with six doubles and 20 RBI on the year while starting 42 games at first base. Lawhorn is one of four players on the team with a .400 or higher on-base percentage, walking 20 times in 2024.

• Junior Carly Robbins has started in all 51 games for Long Beach State, primarily at third base. An All-Big West selection a season ago, Robbins is batting .237 with six doubles, two triples and two home runs, slugging .359 with 21 RBI, third-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 43 games and is batting .237 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 42 games at shortstop and has made just seven errors as an outstanding defender.