Cervenka pitches a no-hitter, 49er softball enjoys 13-3 stretch

Staff Reports
On-line Forty-Niner

Meredith Cervenka became the 13th player in Long Beach State softball history to throw a no-hitter on Sunday and was named Big West Pitcher of the Week for the third consecutive time yesterday.
 
In a 1-0 victory over the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos at the Campus Diamond in Santa Barbara, Cervenka pitched a complete game no-hitter as she came one walk away from throwing a perfect game.
 
Colleen Burdick would score the only run of the game in the first inning as she opened the game with a lead-off walk. Arleigh Thorp would come to the plate a batter later and hit a double to centerfield, driving in Burdick to record the game’s sole RBI and give Cervenka all the run support she would need.
 
The sophomore pitcher would go on to retire 21 batters with two strikeouts in seven innings of work. The no-hit victory makes nine consecutive winning decisions for Cervenka as her record improves to 11-8. The shutout win also lowers her ERA to 1.33. The two-time Big West Pitcher of the Week has now allowed only three runs in her last 45 innings of work.
 
In 21 appearances this season Cervenka has pitched 121 innings including 14 complete games while striking out 103 opposing batters. Six of Cervenka’s 14 complete games have been shutouts.
 
In the second game of the Gaucho doubleheader Lindsey Knoff pitched a complete game as well, giving up only one run on eight hits to record the 2-1 victory. The win moves Knoff’s record to 12-9 as she has compiled an impressive 1.58 ERA.
 
The complete game brings Knoff’s season total to 19 as she has pitched 155 innings while striking out 88 opposing hitters. Seven of the 19 complete games have also been shutouts.
 
The 49ers took the lead and the victory in the sixth as Arleigh Thorp hit her fifth home run of the season. The two-run shot erased UCSB’s 1-0 lead as Lauren Johnson had singled prior to Thorp’s at-bat.
 
Thorp is also only three doubles away from breaking the single-season record for doubles. Her 15 doubles ties her for second all-time with Carla Williams. Amanda Adams holds the record for doubles in a season with 18.
 
Long Beach State has gone 13-3 in its last 16 games after starting 10-14 to move its record to 23-17 overall and 11-3 in Big West Conference play.
 
This week the 49ers travel to Utah for make-up games against Utah State, then return home to play three games this weekend against Cal State Northridge.

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