LONG BEACH - California Baptist University softball took on the Big West's Long Beach State in a midweek tilt on Wednesday night, scoring three unanswered late but ultimately falling by a score of 4-3. The Lancers are 14-16 on the year with a three-game conference series on the horizon to get back over .500. The Beach is now 7-22 on the season, but that record is a bit deceiving as LBSU has played 20 games against teams in top-100 RPI rankings and are owners of the 11th toughest schedule in Division I.
Wednesday's game started with the Beach jumping to an early lead off a two-run double in the bottom of the first. They doubled their lead in the third with a single up the middle and a sacrifice fly to left to make it a 4-0 game.
CBU would break onto the scoreboard in the next half-inning courtesy of Kayla Lyon's second home run of the season. The game would go quiet for the next two-and-a-half innings until Lyon was due up again to lead off the top of the seventh. She sent the third pitch of the inning over the centerfield wall again, halving the LBCU lead and breathing life into the CBU offense.
Ashlee Annett would follow Lyon's homer with a double of her own, still with no outs. A pinch runner would reach third and later score on a sac fly from Maya Avila, but a pair of ground outs before and after the sacrifice would conclude the game.
A trio of Lancer pitchers each tossed two innings, with starter Morgan McConnell taking the loss. Alyssa Argomaniz and Carly Limosnero finished the game in relief for CBU, allowing no hits but three walks in just 50 pitches combined.
The Lancers will host Southern Utah this coming weekend as Funk Stadium will host its first conference series of 2024. Friday's doubleheader is set for 4:00 and 6:30 p.m., while Saturday's finale is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
