Long Beach State Defeats UC San Diego To Move To Second Day At Big West Championship

Wednesday, May 6

Fullerton, Calif.

1 p.m.

Long Beach State University

29-21

(4) UC Davis

29-23

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Long Beach State	1	0	0	1	0	1	0	3	5	3
UC Davis	0	0	3	0	0	2	X	5	9	0

Long Beach State Defeats UC San Diego To Move To Second Day At Big West Championship

5/6/2026 11:20:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

A clutch hit from Audree Mendoza pushed the Beach over the top in support of solid pitching against the Tritons.

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

FULLERTON, Calif. – Long Beach State Softball fell in their first game of the Big West Championship 5-3 against UC Davis, but bounced back with a 5-4 win against UC San Diego to continue through the elimination bracket at the Big West Championship.

Brooklyn Lee had three hits, including a double and a home run in the opening game of the day, but the Aggies came from behind to knock the Beach into the elimination bracket.

An illegal pitch gave the Beach extra life in the first inning, and Long Beach State (30-21) took advantage. Priscilla Iniguez turned her extra time into a hit-by-pitch, and then Nina Sepulveda walked before a Lee double scored Iniguez to open the scoring, giving LBSU a 1-0 lead.

The edge would hold until the bottom of the third when UC Davis (29-23) took their first lead. After a slick catch from Audree Mendoza in left gave the Beach the first out of the inning, the Aggies strung together three infield singles, scoring Keira Brady to even the score at 1-1. The Beach looked to get out of the inning, but an error by Mendoza with two outs allowed both runners to score and put UC Davis in the lead.

Lee continued to have a big day, pulling the Beach within one in the top of the fourth inning, hitting a solo home run that curled inside the foul pole, her first of the season. The junior then delivered again in the sixth with her third hit of the day, doubling to bring home Sepulveda and tie the game at 3-3.

UC Davis had another answer in the bottom half. After a flare put one runner on, a double by Keira Brady, followed by a triple from Gia Felice, scored two more runs for the Aggies, who regained the lead, 5-3.

Ashley Sawai set down the Beach in order as LBSU slipped into the elimination bracket following the opening game.

Facing UC San Diego (23-28) in an elimination game, Long Beach State struck first once again. Avery Weisbrook worked a walk, and then the Beach executed a hit and run perfectly, sending Iniguez into second and Weisbrook home as the Beach took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. The rally continued as the Beach put runners on the corners and executed a perfect double steal, before an RBI single from Emily Dowden made the score 3-0. Meanwhile, in the circle, Isabella Alonso started the contest with three hitless innings before turning the work over to the rest of the staff.

Dowden kickstarted another rally in the fourth inning with a single, and after a sacrifice, scored on a double from pinch hitter Elissa Guerrero to put the Beach up 4-0. Things came unraveled in the top of the fifth inning. Lily Hermosillo picked up the Tritons' first hit, a double, and after an LBSU error, a single loaded the bases for UCSD. A bases-loaded walk brought home one run, and then a single to center, followed by an error on the throw in, tied the game at 4-4.

Long Beach State regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Sepulveda started the inning with a walk, and after getting pushed to second, the freshman took third on a wild pitch and then scored on an RBI single from Audree Mendoza.

Kate Barnett finished off the seventh to close out 2.2 innings of scoreless relief to finish off the 5-4 win. Long Beach State will now face the loser of Cal State Fullerton and UC Davis in Thursday's third game, scheduled to start at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.