RIVERSIDE - California Baptist University softball finished last week as winners of five of seven to improve to 17-12 on the year. Wins against UCSD, Harvard, North Dakota, and two against Columbia boosted the Lancer record to five games over .500 ahead of their game against Long Beach State on Tuesday before beginning conference play at Seattle U this weekend.

Katelyn Mangrello and Maile Olsen lead the team in batting average at .353 and .329, respectively. Mangrello also paces the team in doubles, having already hit 10 this season and is second in runs batted in with 15. Amanda Argomaniz leads the team in RBI, edging Mangrello with 16, while new Lancer Raegan Cheyne has settled in quickly and collected a team-high 15 runs scored.

In the circle, Alyssa Argomaniz has swapped the typical sophomore slump with a surge, leading the staff in ERA (2.04), complete games (five), saves (three), innings pitched (79.0), and strikeouts (64). Jazmine Castaneda tops the CBU staff in wins (eight), which is tied for second in the conference at the moment.

GAME INFORMATION
Opponent: Long Beach State
Dates: Tuesday, March 15
Time: 2 p.m.
Location: Long Beach, Calif. (LBSU Softball Complex)
Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast

The Beach will host CBU for the first time ever on Tuesday afternoon, entering the game with a 9-14 record. Don't be fooled by the numbers; Long Beach State has played a formidable schedule that includes nationally ranked teams such as Washington, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Oregon. The Beach and the Lancers have common opponents in Southern Utah, BYU, Texas Tech, USD, and Arizona, all with the same win/loss outcome with the exception of Texas Tech, who downed CBU 5-0 but LBSU defeated 8-7, both at the Mary Nutter Classic.

The Beach offense is paced by Naomi Hernandez, who leads the team in batting average (.409), hits (27) runs (11) and runs batted in (11). In total, Long beach has five hitters averaging.300 or better so far this season. In the circle is where LBSU struggles the most, currently owning a staff ERA of 7.35 without an individual pitcher who can claim a personal average lower than 5.36.

SERIES INFORMATION
Opponent: Seattle U
Dates: Friday, March 18 | Saturday, March 19
Time: 3 & 5 p.m. | 1 p.m.
Location: Seattle, Wash. (Logan FIeld)
Video (ESPN+): Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
Live Stats: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3

Opening weekend of conference play has pitted the hot-hitting Lancers against the West Division favorites, Seattle U. The Redhawks will enter the series with a 14-12 after beginning the year 5-0.

Seattle does a lot of things well at the plate, having collected 78 free bases through 26 games, bumping their on-base percentage up to .325. The added free passes have helped SU offset the .249 team batting average for a team that has lived within a few points .300 for every full season since 2018. Madison Kahwaty is doing everything she can to help her team as she leads the Redhawks with a .320 average and 20 runs scored, as one of five Seattle players to have started all 26 games so far this season.

The Redhawks rotation is primarily leaned on by their three regular pitchers, Stefanie Madrigal, Carley Nance, and Grace Luderer. Madrigal is the ace, owning a staff-best 2.06 ERA and a 9-4 record through 78.1 innings pitched. Nance is feast-or-famine on the rubber, leading the trio in strikeouts (45), but also in triples (three) and home runs (eight) allowed, and opposing batting average (.281). Luderer has an ERA just under four at 3.93, but comes in having won two of her last three appearances, allowing eight hits, five earned and 10 walks in those three games.