Long Beach State (18-10) mounted a huge comeback in its final two at bats to pull out a 5-4 win over Sacramento State in eight innings Saturday evening at the National Invitational Softball Tournament in San Jose.

Senior Kelly Cross picked up her first win of the season as she allowed two runs on three hits in 4.0 innings of relief. Freshman Taylor Petty had earned the start.

Senior Jennifer Griffin belted out a pair of doubles, while junior Ashley Levine went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Senior Brianna Goad drove in a run with her second triple of the season and also came around to score the game-winner on a clutch single from junior Bridgette Pagano.

After four scoreless innings of play, Sacramento State (8-15) took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth. The 49ers responded in the bottom half of the inning, however, as Griffin doubled with two outs and eventually scored on a Hornet error.

Trailing 2-1 in its last chance at the plate, The Beach tied it up to force extra innings. Senior Danielle Linke led off with an infield single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Ashley Weber. Griffin then drove in the tying run with her second double of the game.

With the international tie breaker rule in effect, Sacramento State pushed two across in the top of the eighth. After an LBSU error, the Hornets had runners on the corners before a double steal scored Jacquelyn Serrano. Jenice Bartee then crossed the plate on a bunt single by Whitney Loomis to give Sac State a 4-2 advantage.

Freshman Megan Denio was placed on second to start the bottom of the eighth and came around to score on an RBI single by Levine, who was thrown out on the play trying to advance a base. Junior Brandy Reyes then reached on an error before Goad drove in the tying run with a triple to the gap in right center. Pagano then delivered the game-winning RBI with a shot up the middle.

Long Beach State closes out action at the NIST against Canisius Sunday at 9am

Report By LBSU