Softball: 49ers split ESPNU doubleheader
Long Beach State split a doubleheader against Cal State Fullerton Saturday afternoon as the 49ers won the opener, 4-3, before dropping a 5-1 decision at Anderson Family Field.
Long Beach State 4, Cal State Fullerton 3
The 49ers (22-26, 6-11 Big West Conference) scored four runs in the top of the seventh to hold off a late Cal State Fullerton rally to emerge with a 4-3 victory in the series opener Saturday afternoon.
Junior Brooke Turner (10-10) earned the win as she allowed three runs on seven hits, while striking out three in six innings. Sophomore Taylor Petty came on in relief to pick up her second save of the season.
The 49ers were led by freshman Bree Stephan, who extended her hitting streak to 11 games after going 3-for-4 with two RBI. Stephan connected for her first career home run to break a scoreless game in the top of the seventh with a two-run blast. Senior Brandy Reyes also had two hits and a pair of RBIs.
Ashley Weber and Caitrin DeBaun followed with back-to-back singles before Reyes drove both runners in with a double to the gap in right center, giving LBSU a 4-0 cushion.
Fullerton made its run in the bottom half of the inning as Gabby Aragon and Nicole Johnson singled before Morgan LeMond connected for a three-run homer to cut the 49ers’ lead to one before Petty came in to shut the door after getting Adriana Martinez to pop out to end the game.
Cal State Fullerton 5, Long Beach State 1
Fullerton jumped out to an early lead and never looked back as it defeated The Beach, 5-1, in the second game.
Petty (9-14) took the loss as she allowed five runs (three earned) on five hits and three walks, while striking out five.
The 49ers were held to just three in the second game as junior Liz Javier and Reyes both doubled, while senior Bridgette Pagano had a pinch-hit single.
The Titans scored three runs on two hits in the bottom of the first, highlighted by a Morgan LeMond two-run home run for her second homer of the day.
The Titans tacked on two more with one hit and two 49er errors in the third frame.
Long Beach State broke up the shutout bid in the top of the sixth on a DeBaun RBI to drive in Weber.
The 49ers return to Anderson Family Field on Sunday at noon for the series finale.
Track and Field: Armstrong takes 2nd at Big West Multi-Events
Junior Nicholas Armstrong tallied 7,224 points to finish second at the Big West Multi-Events Championship Saturday afternoon at Matador Track in Northridge.
His point total ranks him second in school history behind two-time All-American Chris Richardson.
Armstrong finished in the top five in every event. After winning the high jump on Friday, he claimed top honors in the discus with a season-best 139-00. He also took third in the final event of the day as he clocked in at 4:44.42 in the 1500-meter run.
Armstrong finished third in the pole vault (13-11.25), and fourth in the 110-meter hurdles (15.07) and javelin (164-01) to set season bests in those three events.
Sophomore Sara Macey finished eighth in her first career heptathlon. Her point total of 4,445 ranks her 10th among the LBSU all-time leaders.
Macey had a pair of top 10 finishes on Saturday, placing ninth in the javelin (90-10) and 10th in the 800 meters (2:31.08).
Sophomore Rebecca Hamilton, who was also competing in her first heptathlon, took 13th with 4,163 points.
The Beach continues the Big West Championships with the track and field events, May 14-15, at Matador Track.
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