Softball starts sluggishly, finishes strong in opener

The Cal State Long Beach softball team opened its first on campus game with a double header and came away with a split against the Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros, Thursday afternoon at the 49er softball complex.

The 49ers (1-1) lost game one 1-0 but bounced back to take game two 7-0 behind the pitching of sophomore Amy Miner. Miner pitched seven innings giving up three hits with three strikeouts. Pitcher Christy Tucker took the first loss, going six innings and giving up four hits and walking seven.

However, the 49ers were stymied in game one offensively, stranding nine runners on base and getting shut out. In game two Miner had the luxury of a five run lead from the teams first at bat.

In the bottom of the first inning, with a runner on base, Alicia Marrone drove in the first run of the game for the 49ers. After two consecutive walks that brought in one more run, freshman catcher Jesse Martinez hit a line drive triple down the right field line to make the score 5-0.

From that point on the 49ers were never really threatened. The 49ers would add two more runs in the fourth on a double steal and a Kristyn Frady RBI double down the left field line.

Head coach Pete Manarino said he was proud of the way his team came back in game two after dropping the opener and admitted the team may have had opening game jitters.

"We did some good things and we had some opportunities," Manarino said about game one. "We just weren't selective enough, we just didn't hit good pitches and we left some runners stranded."

Miner who will get credit for the first 49er win in the new complex, was pleased with the teams overall performance despite the missed opportunities. In game one, the 49ers had runners on second and third base in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs but were unable to score.

The Toros' (1-1) only run came in the fifth inning when third baseplayer Traci Jackson's single to left field scored Gloria Saldana from first base.

"We just didn't get key hits and they did and that's the difference," Miner said of the loss. "But we came back strong and that's all that counts."