Softball, Sports

‘Niners blank Utah State, fall to UCSB

LBSU vs. Utah State box score

LBSU vs. UCSB box score

LBSU vs. Stanford box score

The Long Beach State softball team earned a split on its second day of the Campbell-Cartier Classic in San Diego.

The 49ers defeated Utah State, 8-0, but fell to UC Santa Barbara, 8-3, in extra innings Saturday afternoon at SDSU Softball Stadium.

The ‘Niners were led by sophomore Brooke Turner, who hurled her 19th career shutout in a six-inning victory over Utah State (3-6). Turner (2-2) scattered just four hits while tying her season high with eight strikeouts in a complete-game effort.

Offensively, LBSU (3-4) had a well-balanced attack as seven different 49ers combined for nine hits. Junior Kristen Pocock led the way with a two-run home run, finishing the game with two hits, two RBIs, two runs scored and a walk. Junior Jodi Nakawatase also added a pair of RBIs.

In the second game of the day, UC Santa Barbara (5-3) scored five runs in the top of the eighth to run away with an extra-inning win.

LBSU junior Bridgette Pagano earned the start, allowing three runs in 3 2/3 innings of work, but it was senior Kelly Cross (0-1) who was credited with the loss after allowing the go-ahead run in the eighth.

Jenny Liepman (1-0) picked up the win for the Gauchos, holding the 49ers hitless in 5 2/3 innings of relief.

LBSU struggled to get its offense going with only three hits in the game. Seniors Jennifer Griffin and Jonae Perez and junior Ashley Levine all singled for The Beach.

The 49ers dropped the opening game of the Campbell-Cartier Classic, 8-3, to No. 8 Stanford on Friday evening. The game was called after five innings due to rain.

Turner allowed six runs on five hits and took the loss for LBSU.

Cardinal Missy Penna (5-1) picked up the win for the Cardinal, striking out eight batters over five innings while allowing three runs on six hits.

Nakawatase led the 49ers at the plat, going 2-for-2 with a double and three RBIs. Junior Ashley Weber also added a pair of hits.

Stanford (6-1) quickly got on the board in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, the Cardinal strung together three consecutive singles to jump out to a 1-0 advantage before Turner retired the next two batters to end the inning.

LBSU threatened early but came up empty-handed, leaving two runners on base in both the first and second innings.

After Stanford built a 4-0 lead on a two-out, three-run home run by Ashley Hansen, the 49ers responded with three runs of their own in the third.

Weber and Griffin led off with back-to-back singles. After Brandy Reyes flied out and Perez struck out, junior Kristen Pocock drew a walk to load the bases. Nakwatase then came through for The Beach with a bases-clearing double, but was thrown out trying to advance to third on the play.

The Cardinal came back in the fourth to put four more runs on the board.

LBSU will return to the diamond Sunday in a doubleheader against Washington and host SDSU. The 49ers will face the Huskies at 11:30 a.m. and the Aztecs at 2 p.m.

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