The Long Beach State softball team had a weekend of ups and downs that included a 10-8 win over No. 19 Arizona State and an 11-0 defeat to No. 2 Michigan.
LBSU (11-8) kicked off the Judi Garman Classic with matchups against ASU and Michigan on Thursday. LBSU was 1-3 against ranked opponents entering the game with their only win coming against then-No. 14 Minnesota on Feb. 13.
Sophomore catcher Lauren MacLeod hit a three-run home run in the first inning, and senior infielder Darian Tautalafua followed up with a grand slam in the third to secure a 10-8 win over the Sun Devils.
Against the Wolverines, sophomore pitcher Lacey Alderman got the start and allowed five runs, three earned, in 1.1 innings pitched. Michigan infielder Sierra Romero went two for four with four RBIs and right-hander Tera Blanco pitched a complete game, allowing just three hits to the 49ers.
On Friday, LBSU picked up a pair of one-run victories over Northwestern, 3-2, and San Jose State, 2-1, behind complete games by pitchers Christina Clermont and Cielo Meza.
Clermont struck 13 batters out in the win over Northwestern and Meza became just the third pitcher in LBSU history to strike out 15 batters in a game in the 49er win over SJSU. The freshman joins teammate Clermont and former 49er Brooke Turner in the record books.
LBSU wrapped up up the weekend with a 7-5 loss against North Carolina on Saturday. The 49ers were set to play their home opener on Sunday against Wisconsin, but LBSU cancelled the game due to heavy rains overnight.
The 49ers return to the diamond on Thursday to host the Louisville Slugger Invitational at Mayfair Park. LBSU opens against Utah Valley at 7 p.m.