The Long Beach State softball team refused to let the umpires determine the outcome of its game against Kansas.
LBSU (11-12) defeated the Jayhawks, 4-3, in front of 103 spectators on Wednesday at the 49er Softball Complex.
“We’re getting some breaks right now and finding a way to take advantage of those,” Beach head coach Kim Sowder said.
With the score knotted, 3-3, Bridgette Pagano struck out swinging, but reached first base on a dropped third strike, putting the go-ahead run on base for the ‘Niners in the bottom of the seventh.
Nalani St. Germain walked and senior Ashley Weber laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving Pagano and St. Germain over to second and third.
Liz Javier delivered the game-winning RBI on a grounder to Jayhawks second baseman Sara Ramirez. Pagano beat the throw home to score the winning run on a fielder’s choice.
“We’re still not banging the ball around like I’d like to, but that’ll come,” Sowder said. “Hitting comes and goes, so we’re still waiting for it to really come on strong. The good thing is that we are finding ways to win games now as opposed to making mistakes and giving it away.”
Down, 3-0, The Beach was able to put its first run on the scoreboard during the second.
With a full count, Christina Schallig headed to first on what appeared to be ball four, but returned back to home plate. Uncertain of the count, Schallig settled back into the batter’s box before asking umpire Christina Drumm if the last pitch was ball four.
Drumm was unsure herself, but after asking one of the others officials, issued Schallig the walk.
Schallig advanced to second on a flyout and continued to third on a grounder by Caitrin DeBaun. Schallig crossed the plate on an error by Kansas infielder Marissa Ingle.
LBSU tied the ballgame with two runs in the third as St. Germain got the inning started with a leadoff grounder that got through the right side.
Weber got on base with a bunt single and both runners moved ahead on a sac-bunt by Javier.
St. Germain was caught in a rundown after breaking for home on an infield ground ball. Weber scored when Brandy Reyes’ hit ricocheted off the glove of Kansas pitcher Allie Clark and DeBaun ripped a single up the middle to drive in the tying run.
Sophomore pitcher Taylor Petty (5-7) struck out six and gave up five hits in seven innings to earn the win.
“I really worked hard for the team, we were down 3-0, but our offense came back really strong,” Petty said.
Junior Brooke Turner started in the circle for the 49ers, but was called for several illegal pitches, and was replaced by Petty in the first.
“I was pitching the same way I always do,” Turner said. “They were calling me and Taylor on the same thing, not dragging, but the drag mark was there, so I don’t know. They were the same umpires we saw last week at Mayfair and I didn’t have a problem there.”
The 49ers next face No. 20/22 Texas A&M at 4:30 p.m. on Friday in the opener of the three-day San Diego Classic II.