One thing is for sure, if you were out at the 49ers softball complex for the Long Beach State/UC Davis series this weekend you got your moneys worth. And that’s not even talking about the quality of softball, more so the amount of softball.

Saturday’s opener went a regular seven innings and was followed up with eight innings of ball in the second game of the doubleheader. So it only made symmetrical sense that the final game of the series Sunday went down for nine innings.

And the game ended in walk-off fashion when Senior Jennifer Griffin hit a shot into the right-center field gap  to give the ‘Niners a 4-3 win and the series win.

“It’s definitely a big win,” Griffin said. “We’re defending (Big West) champions and after the loss yesterday the team was kind-of down, but we came back today thinking if we are going to be the best were going to have to come back stronger than we played yesterday.”

This was definitely a series match-up between two of the stronger pitching staffs in the Big West. Sophomore Brooke Turner and freshman Taylor Petty have held it down for the Beach and Senior Jessica Hancock and Sophomore Alex Holmes are the Aggies big arms. And all of them threw on Sunday.

Turner started for the Beach and gave up two runs just four hitters into the game, but she settled down and gave the ball over for Petty who went seven strong innings giving up one run on three hits.

“The tougher the game, the tougher she is,” head coach Kim Sowder said about Petty. “She did a wonderful job of keeping us in the ball game until we could find a way to get the win.”

It was coach Sowder’s lineup changes that proved to be the difference in the game. A day after failing to get a clutch hit, she moved usual leadoff hitter Danielle Linke into the cleanup spot behind Griffin. Senior Breezy Goad hit in the leadoff spot and all she did was get on base three times, score two runs (including the game winner) and made great plays at second base.

“Having her leadoff is another good thing because not only can she hit but she can slap, bunt, she has pop. She does her job well.”

UC Davis pushed two runs across in the top of the first and the Beach answered in the second with scoring on a wild pitch with the bases loaded. Junior Kristen Pocock scored after singling up the middle and reaching third on a Brandy Reyes (junior) walk and senior Jonae Perez single.

However the Aggies would answer by adding a run in the third. Petty walked Julie Strauder and she ended up scoring on a groundout where ran to home plate on the throw to first and slipped around Reyes sweeping tag.

However the ‘Niners struck back in the bottom half of the inning when Griffin singled up the middle to score Goad from third. And after a pitching change, Pocock hit a double to score Griffin and tie the game.
The pitchers were in control the rest of the game, with each team threatening once more and playing solid defense all around. But in the ninth the’ Niners left the Aggies on the field.

Goad leadoff and walked on four pitches to start the ninth. And rather than have Ashley Weber bunt her over for the third time in the game, coach gave her the green light to swing away. Weber flied out then Griffin stepped up and drove the 2-1 pitch in the right-centerfield gap. Goad sped around the bases, stepping on home plate uncontested for the win and the series.

Here is what coach Sowder had to say about that situation on the ninth: “I decided I wasn’t going to bunt with Weber this time. If they walk Griffin were going to have (runners on) first and second anyways so why not make them pitch to Griffin. And yea it paid off, it was nice.” Then after a short pause she continued. “It’s nice when it works out that way.” She finished with a sincere laugh.

Pocock had a great day at the plate going 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. Reyes enjoyed a good weekend at the plate going 1-for-1 with two walks in this game. But Griffin showed why she is going to be one the most feared hitters in the Big West going 2-for-3 with two RBIs, one run scored and two walks (one intentional).

Here is what she had to say about her at-bat that closed the weekend: “I went up there knowing they probably weren’t going to walk me again. They were going to take a chance at it. So I went up there with the mindset ‘Be ready for anything.’”

Winning this weekend to series is expected to give the Beach the momentum they need to repeat as conference champs.

“It was a good day,” coach Sowder said. “We had a tough day yesterday, and this team showed me a lot today. They have a nice pitching staff, they’re top in the conference ERA-wise and to battle back from a 2-0 right away and to find a way to win, this ball game showed me a lot.”