Reports From LBSU
Brooke Turner and Nalani St. Germain keyed Long Beach State (17-16, 1-1 Big West) to a split of a doubleheader with Pacific (13-19, 1-1 Big West) Friday at the 49er Softball Complex as The Beach beat the Tigers 7-0 in the first game before dropping a 3-2 decision in the nightcap.
Game 1: Long Beach State 7, Pacific 0
Turner pitched a complete game two-hit shutout to lead the 49ers to the win, while St. Germain went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and three RBI to lead the 49ers offense.
Turner (9-6) controlled the Tigers allowing just four base runners in seven innings while striking out seven. Turner didn’t allow a hit until Karie Wilson singled to right field in the top of the fourth inning. The Tigers only other hit came when Brittany Hendrickson singled off of Turner in the fifth with two outs but Hendrickson was stranded after Turner struck out Lindsey Pierce.
St. Germain sparked a seven-run fourth inning by the 49ers with a two-out bases-loaded three-run double. St. Germain added a two-out double in the sixth inning but was stranded at third.
The seven-run Beach fourth inning came with some help from UOP. Tiger pitcher Shaina Brock (4-7) walked four 49ers in the inning, while giving up three hits including St. Germain’s bases-clearing double. Brandy Reyes started the rally with a one-out walk before advancing to second on a walk to Christina Schallig. Caitrin DeBaun broke the scoreless tie when she singled to center field scoring Reyes.
Liz Javier then singled to center field to load the bases moving Schallig to third and DeBaun to second. After Schallig was forced at home on a fielder’s choice by Ashley Levine, DeBaun and Javier scored on back-to-back walks to Bridgette Pagano and Casey Burba to push the score to 3-0. St. Germaine followed with the three-run double to push the lead to 6-0 before coming around to score on a single by Ashley Weber. Javier went 2-for-3 in the game.
Game 2: Pacific 3, Long Beach State 2
Nikki Armagost picked up the win holding LBSU to two runs on four hits, while also blasting a game-winning home run in the top of the fifth inning with one out.
Armagost (6-4) held the 49ers offense scoreless until the fourth inning while the Tigers built an early 2-0 lead with a run in the first and another in the second.
Like the first game, the 49ers had a chance to put together a big fourth inning but Armagost got out of the inning allowing just a pair of LBSU runs despite the 49ers collecting four hits and a walk while loading the bases with nobody out.
St. Germain walked to start the inning and Weber and Reyes followed with singles to load the bases. Armagost got a huge break when the next hitter, Schallig, laced a hard shot at third baseman Kellee Wilson who started a 5-2-3 double play. The Beach was able to salvage the inning with a two-run RBI single by DeBaun but Armagost got out of the inning without any more damage setting up her fifth inning heroics.
The Beach had one last chance in the bottom of the seventh when it got runners on second and third with two outs, but Burba grounded out to third to end the game.
Taylor Petty (6-9) picked up the loss allowing all three runs and nine hits, while walking five and striking out eight. Weber, Reyes, DeBaun and Javier had LBSU’s hits.