The Long Beach State softball team (4-5) heads to Palm Springs this weekend for the Cathedral City Classic, Feb. 26-28. The 49ers, who will play five games in three days, open the elite tournament against No. 10/12 Stanford Friday at 6 p.m. LBSU returns to the field on Saturday for a doubleheader against Long Island and Utah, before closing out action with a twinbill featuring Colorado State and No. 13/14 California on Sunday.
THE OPPONENTS
No. 10/12 Stanford is off to a hot start as it won four games at its own Nike Invitational last weekend to improve to 8-1 on the season. Alissa Haber has paced the Cardinal offense with a .500 batting average, nine runs scored and nine RBI. Teagan Gerhart and Ashley Chinn have been solid in the circle for Stanford, combining for a 1.58 earned run average. Gerhart and Chinn also have 30 strikeouts apiece.
Long Island is 6-4 on the season after going 3-2 at the FIU Blue and Gold Felsberg Memorial Tournament last weekend. Brynn Lewis leads all Blackbird hitters with a .400 batting average, 14 hits and seven RBI. Blaire Porter has been LIU’s ace on the mound, posting a 4-1 record with a 1.57 ERA and 20 strikeouts.
Colorado State enters the weekend with a 4-5 overall record. Rebecca Penland has anchored the Ram offense, compiling a team-high .538 batting average, 14 hits and 11 RBI. Kelli Eubanks, meanwhile, has led a four-person pitching staff with nine appearances, three complete games and 41 strikeouts.
After opening the season on a five-game winning streak, Utah dropped to 7-3 following a 2-3 showing at the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic last weekend. Kara Foster (.462 batting average, 10 RBI) and Tia Paulauni (.450 BA, 15 RBI, 4 homeruns) lead the Utes on the offensive end, while Ashley Smuda has anchored the pitching staff with a 1.74 ERA and 40 strikeouts.
No. 13/14 California posted a 3-2 mark at the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic last weekend to move to 7-3 on the season. Frani Echavarria has led the Golden Bears with a .483 batting average, while Jamia Reid owns a team-high 17 hits and is 13-for-16 in stolen base attempts. Lindsey Ziegenhirt, meanwhile, has provided the power as she leads all players with four homeruns and 15 RBI. Jolene Henderson (1.42 ERA, 32 strikeouts) and Valerie Arioto (2.54 ERA, 44 strikeouts) have anchored the Cal defense.
ST. GERMAIN ON THE SCENE
Freshman Nalani St. Germain had a huge weekend in her first collegiate action at the Sportco Kick-Off Classic, Feb. 13-14. Over four games, St. Germain went 7-for-13 (.538) with seven runs scored, six RBI and two homeruns, including a grand slam in an 8-5 victory over Cal State Bakersfield.
The Chino Hills, Calif., native continued to shine at the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic last weekend, finishing with three home runs and five RBI. St. Germain has gone deep in five of the 49ers’ nine games. She is currently tops on the team in runs scored (12), hits (10), homeruns (5) and RBI (11).
PETTY LEADS THE WAY
Sophomore Taylor Petty (2-3) has led the 49er pitching staff early in the season, compiling a 2.86 earned run average and a team-high 25 strikeouts in 29.1 innings of work. Despite seeing limited action while recovering from an injury, junior Brooke Turner (1-1) has also tallied 10 strikeouts in 8.1 innings. Senior Bridgette Pagano, meanwhile, fanned 13 batters last weekend, including a season-high eight against ninth-ranked Georgia Tech.
ON DECK
Long Beach State is back in action next weekend when it heads south for the San Diego Classic I, March 5-7. The 49ers are set to take on UTEP, Oregon, Buffalo, UCLA and San Diego.
Reports From LBSU