Long Beach State Notebook: Softball team ready For NCAA Regional

Despite a rash of injuries and a difficult schedule, the Long Beach State softball team (32-20) will be in Eugene, Oregon this weekend for the NCAA Regional hosted by the Oregon Ducks.

The 49ers finished third in the Big West Conference, but their top-40 RPI ranking eaed them the at-large bid for a 23rd NCAA postseason appearance.

“This is a resilient team,” said LBSU coach Kim Sowder, whose team has 14 come-from-behind wins this season.

“This group didn’t focus on (injuries or losses), they just kept fighting,” she added. “They get along better than any team I’ve had here.”

Five 49ers were rewarded for their individual efforts this season by being named to the All-Big West Conference team on Wednesday. Senior Darian Tautalafua and junior Christina Clermont both made the first team, sophomore Julia Lombardi and senior Alley Perkins are second team and Kelli Finan received an honorable mention nod and a spot on the All-Freshman team.

The No. 16 Baylor Bears (43-12) will be waiting for LBSU in the regional opener on Friday night. It will be broadcast live on ESPN2 at 6.

This is the sixth straight postseason for Baylor, which had a resume good enough to host a regional. Head coach Gle Moore has expressed his disappointment in not hosing, and the Bears have said they’ll take out that frustration in Eugene this weekend. Lakewood High alum and former Moore League Player of the Year Jessie Scroggins is hitting .354 for the Bears this season with a team-high 16 stolen bases. LBSU beat Baylor 7-1 the only time these schools met back in 2011.

Baseball

It’s a good week for the Dirtbags (32-18, 11-7) who are back into the Baseball America rankings this week at No. 25, are up to No. 40 in the RPI rankings, and are three games back of first-place Cal State Fullerton in the Big West Conference standings. They’re also on a six-game wiing streak after beating LMU on Tuesday.

LBSU might be able to make up some ground this weekend as the Titans host fifth-place Hawaii and the Dirtbags visit last-place UC Davis. That series opens Friday at 2:30 p.m., and they’ll play at 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

The Aggies (16-29, 4-14) are on a four-game losing streak but recently took a series from UC Santa Barbara. The Gauchos are in third place in the Big West behind the Dirtbags, who will host Cal State Fullerton next weekend to close the regular season.

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