Softball wins 4 in a row at home

Home may be where the heart is, but for the Cal State Long Beach softball team and coach Pete Manarino it was also a place to get back on a winning streak and accomplish a career milestone.

The 49ers played their first home games of the season last weekend, and CSULB won all four, sweeping Big West conference opponents Pacific and Sacramento State to improve to 22-8 overall and 5-3 in conference.

The 49ers' 2-0 victory over Sacramento State in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday gave Manarino his 500th career win, all at CSULB.

But Manarino, in his 14th season as the 49ers' coach, was happier with the winning streak.

"It's nice to get No. 500, but the most important thing is that we played good softball and got back on track in conference play," Manarino said. "Last weekend was important just for the fact that we knew we had to win to get back into the race."

In getting Manarino his career mark, the 49ers scored twice in the sixth inning to get on the scoreboard. Amanda Adams' double scored Amanda Favorite from second base. Tiffany Blood followed with another double to score Adams to put the 49ers ahead 2-0.

Amy Miner pitched the shutout, striking out three batters and walking none to improve her record to 7-3.

In the first game of the doubleheader, the 49ers beat the Hornets, 2-1, in eight innings. Christy Tucker scored the winning run from second base on a throwing error by Hornets second baseman Robin Jury.

The day before sweeping Sacramento State, Miner and Tammy Dietrich pitched back-to-back shutouts as the 49ers swept Pacific, 5-0 and 7-0. Favorite and Jessie Martinez each had three hits and two RBI in the two games.

Perhaps it was a forgone conclusion that Manarino would win his 500th game last weekend, considering how his career milestones seem to parallel to that of baseball coach Dave Snow.

Snow won his 500th career game the day before Manarino got his. The two coaches got their 400th win on the same day three years ago, and their 300th win in the same week five years ago.

"It's kind of neat that we get these wins at the same time," Manarino said. "I've known Dave for a long time, and we're good friends. I respect him as a friend and a coach."

The 49ers travel to New Mexico State on Friday, then return home next Tuesday for a game against Stanford.