By In front of a sellout crowd in its home opener, Long Beach State softball (3-1) pushed the four-time and reigning NCAA Champion No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners (6-0) to the brink before falling 2-0 in the 11th inning at the LBSU Softball Complex.
The game marked the return of Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso, a LBSU alumna who was met with a warm reception before the first pitch.
“It was a special opening day for us. It was, you know, it’s great to be able to bring Patty back and honor her,” LBSU head coach Kim Sowder said.
Long Beach alumna and current Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso returned back to The Beach on February. 9 at the LBSU Softball Complex. Grasso’s Sooners won 2-0 in the 11th inning after back-to-back RBI hits from Oklahoma to seal the game. Photo credit: Samuel Chacko
At the start of the first inning, the Sooners threatened immediately by loading the bases with one out and freshman utility player Tia Milloy up to bat.
LBSU’s defense held strong and turned a double play that erupted the crowd and ended the inning.
The second inning saw Oklahoma put another runner on base with a single, followed by a sacrificed bunt that advanced the runner.
Senior pitcher Shannon Haddad stepped up and delivered back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning, much to the delight of The Beach crowd.
Long Beach State fans make their voices heard in the sold-out LBSU Softball Complex on Feb. 9. However, Long Beach State lost to Oklahoma 2-0 in extra innings. Photo credit: Samuel Chacko
Haddad was coming off a combined no-hitter with freshman pitcher Brynne Nally on Saturday against Fresno State.
“Anytime you have a pitching staff at that side and your defense plays like that, you’ve got a good, good chance every time you step on the field,” Sowder said. “So we’re super excited about that and we have a long way to go.”
The Beach’s offense struggled early, failing to record a hit through the first three innings.
Nevertheless, Oklahoma’s junior pitcher Kierston Deal dealt for six innings only allowing one hit and one walk while recording two strikeouts.
With the game scoreless in the fifth, the Sooners threatened to score again.
A single by senior first baseman Cydney Sanders nearly drove in the first run, but a stellar throw by senior left fielder Jacquelyn Bickar resulted in an out at home plate.
The outfield assist was followed by a strikeout from Nally that ended the inning and left another runner stranded for the Sooners.
In the seventh, Oklahoma had runners on second and third with one out, but freshman pitcher Maddy Martin held firm and did not let a runner cross home plate.
Freshman pitcher Maddy Martin made her Long Beach State debut against No. 2 Oklahoma on Feb. 9 at the LBSU Softball Complex. Martin pitched six innings and gave up the two go-ahead runs as The Beach lost to the Sooners 2-0 in 11 innings. Photo credit: Samuel Chacko
“I really just did it for my team. I knew all the girls behind me really wanted that game, and so did I,” Martin said. “They made me want it a million times more.”
The Beach broke through with their first hit in the bottom of the seventh by way of a single from senior third baseman Carly Robbins.
Robbins’ hit forced the Sooners to go to the bullpen and bring in junior pitcher Paytn Monticelli.
A double play, helped on by bad baserunning from The Beach, and an ensuing groundout ended the inning; sending the game into extra innings.
“We made some base running mistakes. I think we tried to do too much with our base running today and those are just takeaways that we need to learn,” Sowder said. “We usually do a better job of that.”
After ten innings of scoreless softball, Oklahoma finally broke through in the top of the 11th.
Junior outfielder Abigale Dayton slammed the ball for a double after a walk from redshirt junior catcher Isabela Emerling. The RBI double opened the door for Oklahoma to secure the 2-0 victory on Feb. 9 at the LBSU Softball Complex. Photo credit: Samuel Chacko
A leadoff walk set the stage for an RBI double from Sooner junior centerfield Abigale Dayton followed by an RBI single from sophomore utility player Ella Parker to put Oklahoma up 2-0.
In the bottom of the 11th, LBSU had one last chance. After two quick outs, a hit-by-pitch put a runner on and brought the potential tying run to the plate.
The opportunity was squandered by a pop-up that ended the game and the chances of a Beach upset.
Despite the loss, The Beach’s ability to keep the powerhouse of the Sooners scoreless for ten innings was an impressive feat.
Long Beach State look to build on this performance as they continue its season with six consecutive home games. The homestand begins Feb. 11 at 4 p.m. against Winthrop at LBSU Softball Complex.
