April 30, 2006
Box Score
Long Beach, Calif. - The Pacific softball team dropped the third game of their series with Long Beach State on Sunday, April 30, falling by the score of 7-4. With the loss the Tigers fell to 24-21 overall and 5-7 in Big West play while the 49ers improved to 26-18 overall and 11-4 in conference action.
The Tigers bats got started early in game three of the series, knocking out two hits and denting the scoreboard for a single run in the first inning of the contest. The run was the first score for the Tigers in 18 innings of play, dating back to game two of their series with Cal State Fullerton.
Senior Brittany Hyams (Huntington Beach, Calif.) converted a fielder's choice into two bases after taking advantage of a mental miscue by the 49ers infield. An infield hit by junior Jennifer Curtier (Lancaster, Calif.) put runners on first and third for the Tigers from which senior Kristen Allen (Citrus Heights, Calif.) knocked in Hyams to give the Tigers the early lead.
However, that led would be short lived as Long Beach State took back control of the contest with timely hitting and smart base running to post two runs in the bottom of the inning. Lacy Tyler knocked a two out, two RBI single down the right field line to score both runs for the 49ers.
An inning later, Tyler came through again, knocking in the 49ers fourth run of the game on a single to left field.
The Tigers responded in the third with an eriliy similar inning to the first. Hyams again reached on a fielder's choice after which she promptly stole second. With Curtier at the plate, the Tigers posted their second run of the game as Pacific's first basemen roped her second hit of the game to knock in Hyams. Curtier would finish the game 2-for-4 while Hyams wentt 1-4 but scored two runs on the day.
Once again, though, the 49ers responded in the bottom half of the inning as Kourtnee Gervasi doubled down the right field line to drive in Melanie McCauley who had reached second on the Tigers' second wild pitch of the game.
After a quiet fourth, Long Beach State struck, again with two outs in the inning, posting two runs on a single down the right field line by Tiffanie Wedell. The inning nearly was ended by Curtier at first but the ball glanced off of her out stretched glove and into right field.
The Tigers would not go quietly as the bottom of the order posted a comeback in the top of the seventh inning, coming up just short despite putting the tying run at the plate. A leadoff single by freshman Lauren Weyman (Carlsbad, Calif.) started the rally as she was proceeded by sophomores Lindsey Garehime (Redwood City, Calif.) and Mandy Hickman (Phoenix, Ariz.) who walked their way to the bases loaded. A fielder's choice to Carbonatto and a single by Hyams netted the Tigers two runs in the inning. With two outs, Curtier stepped to plate a drilled a shot towards the right field line, but Jonae Perez stepped in front of the shot, knocking down the ball and enabling the 49ers to post the final out of the inning.
Offensively for the 49ers, Perez led the way with a perfect 4-for-4 outing, knocking in three runs to pace Long Beach State.
In the circle for the Tigers, sophomore Alyce Jorgensen (Los Altos, Calif.) picked up her second loss of the series, falling to 4-6 on the season. Jorgensen went 1.2 innings, relinquishing five hits, four runs and four walks. For the 49ers, Michelle Turner posted her second win of the weekend, throwing a complete seven innings for the second time in the series. Turner gave up four runs on six hits while striking out five and walking one.
The loss was the Tigers sixth consecutive loss, extending their longest winning drought of the 2006 season.
The Tigers will be back in action next weekend as they play host to Cal State Northridge in a Big West Conference doubleheader on Saturday, May 6. The first game of the series is scheduled for 1:00 pm.
