Senior Carly Robbins (12) had five hits across the two games in her final games for The Beach during The Big West Tournament. Photo credit: LBSU Athletics

FULLERTON, Calif. – In the first-ever Big West Softball Championship at Anderson Family Field, home of Cal State Fullerton, No. 4 Long Beach State women’s softball fell short in a 10-8 offensive showcase against No. 5 University of Hawai’i.

Later that day, The Beach was eliminated in an 8-0 shutout by No. 3 UC Santa Barbara. 

Wednesday, May 7, Hawai’i  10 – LBSU 4 

The seniors got it done early for LBSU after a leadoff triple from outfielder Jacquelyn Bickar led to an RBI single from infielder Carly Robbins, giving The Beach a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

A defensive mishap led to the Rainbow Wahine’s first base runner of the game. Senior outfielder Chloe Borges made The Beach pay with a lead taking 2-run home run in the third inning.

“Let’s go Bows” chants roared after Big West Defensive Player of the Year, senior catcher Izabella Martinez, powered a solo homer to extend the lead 3-1.

“We’re disappointed with how we played today. Certainly hung in there and really gave a good fight and battled back but just some uncharacteristic defensive miscues,” LBSU head coach Kim Sowder said. “Credit to Hawai’i for taking advantage of our mistakes.”

Freshman infielder Priscilla Iniguez delivered once again for LBSU with a two-RBI double that tied the game. Moments later, a high pitch got away from Martinez allowing sophomore infielder Sophia Stein to take home and give The Beach a 4-3 lead. 

Two consecutive walks by senior pitcher Eryka Gonzales set the stage for a single from junior outfielder Larissa Goshi, loading the bases. Martinez struck again with a two-RBI double, giving the Wahine a one-run lead in the fourth inning. 

The fourth inning was kept alive by junior Carys Murakami who added two more runs for Hawai’i with a single, forcing Gonzales out of the game trailing by three. 

Defensive miscues by The Beach allowed the Wahine to tack on two more runs before Martinez and Murakami followed with back-to-back RBI singles pushing Hawai’i ahead 10-4. 

Despite two 2-run home runs from Iniguez and Robbins, The Beach couldn’t complete the comeback, falling 10-8. The loss extended day one of the tournament where LBSU faced UC Santa Barbara in a win-or-go-home game. 

Wednesday, May 7, UCSB 8 – LBSU 0

UCSB shut out, dominated and eliminated LBSU with an 8-0 loss in the sixth inning.

A first-inning double from Robbins would be The Beach’s only hit until the sixth inning. UCSB junior pitcher Malaya Johnson shut out LBSU, giving up just two hits over her six innings of work.

Defensive miscues once again punished The Beach. A high pop fly to centerfield was dropped after outfield miscommunication, bringing home sophomore infielder Tehya Banks on a two-out RBI double by junior infielder Bella Fuentes. 

Senior outfielder Alexa Sams extended the UCSB early lead to 2-0 with an RBI single up the middle off senior pitcher Shannon Haddad, who escaped the inning with further damage. 

A two-out bunt single led to a two-run homer from junior infielder Jazzy Santos giving the Gauchos a 4-0 lead – all four runs coming with two outs. 

Eight hits in just two innings for the Gauchos ended Haddad’s night in the second. Sophomore pitcher Kate Barnett entered for Haddad and kept UCSB scoreless in the third. 

But the offense picked up again in the fourth. Santos delivered another RBI, scoring freshman catcher Delaina Ma’ae and Banks followed with a run-scoring single to bring in Santos, stretching the lead to 6-0. 

“We fell short in every category. It’s disappointing, definitely leaving here disappointed today without a doubt,” Sowder said.

Robbins accounted for all of LBSU’s hits with two as the Gauchos went on to outhit The Beach 15-2.

UCSB ended the game in the sixth on another two-out, two-RBI single from Sams, sealing the 8-0 run-rule victory and ending LBSU’s season. 

Courtesy of Adam Hussman/MLC SID

MORRIS – The Martin Luther College men’s track and field won their first UMAC Outdoor Championship this past weekend after performing near the top in nearly every event. Entering Saturday, the Knights trailed UW-Superior 105-85 in total team points. Still, MLC had an impressive day two to catapult itself past the Yellowjackets to claim its first-ever UMAC Outdoor title as a member of the NCAA (Won UMAC Championship in 1998 and 1999 as a member of the NAIA), finishing with 234 points. UW-Superior came in second with 212 points.

In order to achieve that feat, the Knights needed help from multiple individuals, and they got just that with many first and second-place finishes along with a few meet and school records.

Stephen Wietzke led the way once again with three first-place results in short-distance events. Wietzke earned them in the 100m dash (10.97 seconds), 200m dash (22.04 seconds), and in the 4x100m relay (42.81 seconds) along with Matthew Hillmer, Lucas Holtz, and Arthur Robinson.

Samuel Plocher had a banner weekend, taking first in the high jump (2.01 meters), which was a meet record, while clocking in at 15.10 seconds in the 110m hurdles for first. Additionally, the sophomore took second in the 400m hurdles with a mark of 1:00.02.

A pair of freshmen in Daniel Reinke and Daniel Ertman, also took first in their respective events. Reinke earned it in the discus throw, hitting a PR heave of 42.92 meters, while Ertman had an impressive effort in the 400m, breaking an MLC and meet record in doing so with a time of 50.16 seconds. The previous MLC record was 50.36 seconds, set by Kyle Needham in 2001. Robinson also broke Needham’s record with his time of 50.35 seconds, which also gave him a meet record to finish second behind Ertman.

In the 400m hurdles, Hillmer received first after he crossed the finish line in 58.56 seconds, while the 4x400m relay team ( Robinson, Ryan Schmidt, Micah Schibbelhut, Ertman) also placed first with a meet record time of 3:23.72.

R.J. Perry placed second in the hammer throw (48.44 meters, new school record), shot put (14.27 meters), and discus (41.07 meters). Reinke took third in the shot put (13.45 meters), while Jesus Medina earned third in the discus (39.93 meters) and fourth in the shot put (13.30 meters).

Robinson added to his weekend with three other second-place results in the 200-meter dash (22.16 seconds), long jump (6.45 meters), and triple jump (12.99 meters). Other notable finishes included a third place in the 200m dash from Ertman with a PR time of 22.68 seconds and a second place finish from the 4×800 m relay team of Eliott Heiderich, Schmidt, Ertman, and Schibbelhut (8:49.93).

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Charlie Wade missed this.

The architect of the Hawaii men’s volleyball program’s success over the last decade had a rare week off during last year’s NCAA Championship in Long Beach, Calif.

Advertisement

Not every season is going to end the way a coach of 16 years at one school wants.

After not reaching the postseason last year, Wade began to realize during this season just how special it is to get to where he was on Wednesday, answering questions at a press conference ahead of UH’s 10th overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

“Kind of down the stretch of the regular season there, I thought about how we really had a chance with this team to get to the postseason, ” Wade said. “They do a great job of making it a big deal and winning championships is a big deal. For this group of athletes we have, we were picked third in our league preseason and for us to be in a position to compete for a national championship this year is pretty special.”

The second-seeded Rainbow Warriors practiced inside of Covelli Center, which hosts the entire tournament, on the campus of Ohio State for the first time on Wednesday.

Advertisement

Hawaii (26-5 ) plays No. 7 seed Penn State (15-15 ), which had to win a play-in game against Daemen University to reach the final field of eight, in the second quarterfinal today at 7 :30 a.m. Hawaii time.

It is the seventh time the two teams will meet in the NCAA Tournament. UH hasn’t played any other school more than twice in the tourney.

“We’re thrilled to play Penn State again. Mark Pavlik, the head coach, is one of the best coaches in the country and one of the best guys in college athletics, ” Wade said. “It’s a great honor to play against their program and I think they are a lot better than they were in March.”

The Nittany Lions last played the Rainbow Warriors in the Outrigger Invitational, losing in straight sets.

Advertisement

Hawaii is 4-2 all-time in the NCAA Tournament against Penn State and 18-10 overall.

UH will play its first game here since wining the first of back-to-back national championships in 2021.

Senior libero ‘Eleu Choy and middle blocker Kurt Nusterer were on the team back then, but didn’t play.

Choy, who had to wait five years after graduating from Farrington to assume the role of starter, will have a significant hand in the outcome for UH this time around.

“I find it pretty ironic that the first national championship was also here and now my last national championship is also here, ” Choy said. “Very excited.”

Advertisement

After taking over as UH men’s coach in 2010, Wade first led the team to the NCAA Tournament in 2015 when the Warriors reached the play-in game.

Including that season, UH has advanced to the postseason six out of nine times, which excludes the COVID-19 pandemic season that was cut short in 2020.

Hawaii’s first national title was won in its last trip here in 2021 when UH swept UC Santa Barbara and Brigham Young.

Wade says there are some similarities, including the hotel the team is staying at, from four years ago. There’s also a level of confidence within the team gained by its recent stretch of performances that led UH to win the Outrigger Big West Men’s Volleyball Championship.

Advertisement

“I think I have found myself over the last couple of weeks just being more calm and more at ease with where we’re at and what we’re doing, ” Wade said. “I think there’s a level of confidence I’ve seen with the guys and how they are communicating with each other, and the level of engagement that tells me that we’re ready to compete, and let’s enjoy the ride.”

Sophomore setter Tread Rosenthal said he hadn’t felt the magnitude of playing in the NCAA Tournament had sunk in yet on Tuesday, but imagined that would change the moment he stepped onto the Covelli Center court for Wednesday’s practice.

“I think I’m more excited to just get out there for the first time and get a good practice in at Ohio State, ” Rosenthal said. “There’s obviously some nerves that come with being here for the first time, doing a press conference here for the first time, but it’s just kind of fun for us. We’ve done all of the hard work in our past, and we’re excited to just have fun now.”

Penn State, which swept its way through the EIVA tournament as the No. 3 seed to secure a NCAA berth, made it known it felt like the underdog against UH. Senior outside hitter Wil Kuhns, however, didn’t think it’d necessarily go the same way as the previous matchup.

Advertisement

“They have a good offense. They have a lot of strengths, obviously they have a talented team, ” Kuhns said. “I think it’s hard to look back at that match and compare and draw conclusions because I think we have evolved so much as a team and I’m sure so have they.”

NCAA Men’s Volleyball Championship At Covelli Center, Columbus, Ohio Quarterfinals Today—No. 3 UCLA (20-6 ) vs. No. 6 Belmont Abbey (17-8 ), 5 a.m.—No. 2 Hawaii (26-5 ) vs. No. 7 Penn St. (15-15 ), 7 :30 a.m.—No. 1 Long Beach State (27-3 ) vs. No. 8 Fort Valley State (16-9 ), 11 a.m.—No. 4 Loyola Chicago (25-3 ) vs. No. 5 Pepperdine (20-9 ), 1 :30 p.m.—TV : ESPN +—Radio : KKEA 1420 AM / 92.7 FM (UH match only )

GAME 48

Long Beach State at UC Riverside

Saturday, May 10 • 6 p.m.  

Riverside, Calif. • Riverside Sports Complex

Live Stats • ESPN+

GAME 49

Long Beach State at UC Riverside

Sunday, May 11 • 1 p.m.  

Riverside, Calif. • Riverside Sports Complex

Live Stats • ESPN+

FIRST PITCH

Long Beach State wraps up Big West play this weekend as the Dirtbags travel to UC Riverside. Friday and Saturday’s games begin at 6 p.m. with Sunday’s finale starting at 1 p.m. Each game will be streamed on ESPN+.

SCOUTING THE HIGHLANDERS

UC Riverside is 16-30, 5-19 in Big West play.

Matthew O’Brien was named Big West Pitcher of the Week on Monday. He went 2-0, earning wins against California Baptist and CSUN. He pitched 9.2 innings, giving up one run and striking out 10.

He is now 4-4 with one save in 18 appearances. Making 10 starts, he leads the team in innings pitched with 52.2. He has struck out 44 with a 6.32 ERA. O’Brien is scheduled to start Saturday’s game against the Dirtbags.

Nolan Millman is Friday’s probable starter for the Highlanders. He is 2-3 in 19 appearances this season. Making three starts, he has struck out 35 in 35 innings and has a 7.20 ERA.

UCR has not determined a Sunday starter.

Robert Pitts leads the club in hitting (.319). Landon Nunes has hit a team-best four home runs. David Whittle and Manoah Chapman lead the team in RBI as the pair has both driven in 22 runs.

Long Beach State leads the all-time series 80-38-1.

THE LAST TIME OUT

Long Beach State upset No. 17 UCLA Tuesday night 4-2. Conner Stewart led the way for the Dirtbags as he went 3-for-4. Here is the recap.

IVY LEAGUE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT TICKETS HERE

UPDATE – First Pitch Of Ivy Softball Tournament Is Now 10 AM Today

The low temperature in Princeton yesterday was 57, with a high of 74.

There was bright sunshine throughout the day with only a very slight wind and no humidity. In other words, or word, it was perfect.

TigerBlog’s question is this: Would he ever get tired of having the weather be this way every day? Wasn’t that the whole point of the 18th century novel “Candide?”

“Even in those cities which seem to enjoy the blessings of peace, and where the arts flourish, the inhabitants are devoured by envy, cares and anxieties, which are greater plagues than any experienced in a town when it is under siege.”                       

Oh well. All is for the best in this best of all possible worlds, right? 

Is that too deep for your Thursday? 

Hopefully the weather will cooperate for the next few days at least so that the Ivy League softball tournament can go off as planned. First pitch in the four-team, double-elimination event is today at 10 am between top-seeded Princeton and fourth-seeded Brown, followed by No. 2 Harvard and No. 3 Columbia. 

This will be the third Ivy League softball tournament, all of which have been hosted by Princeton. The venue will be different this time, though, as the brand-new and beautiful Cynthia Paul Field will be the tournament site. 

It couldn’t be at a more perfect spot. The Meadows Campus is a great setting, and the new softball facility will be glistening with its comfortable orange seats, perfect views and welcoming concourse. 

Of course, these teams would play in a dirt and grass sandlot somewhere if it offered the prize that this tournament does. For the winner, there will be a ticket to the NCAA tournament. 

If you recall, Princeton won this event last year and then made some noise in the NCAA regional, defeating Ole Miss and almost knocking off host Louisiana-Lafayette.

Princeton went 17-4 in the Ivy League to win the championship, something that won’t change in the tournament. Regardless of who wins, Princeton will be the official Ivy champion for 2025.

Princeton swept Harvard, took two of three from Brown (last week) and lost two of three to Columbia during the regular season. Brown is making its first appearance in the Ivy postseason, either the tournament or its league championship series that preceded it. 

As the tournament begins, Princeton brings with it some gaudy statistics. This is from TB’s colleague Andrew Borders, whose pre-tournament story can be read HERE:

In Ivy League games, Princeton had the best ERA in the league, at 2.13 and ahead of Harvard’s 2.92, Brown’s 2.97 and Columbia’s 3.94, with the top four teams in the league in that stat all having made the Ivy tournament. Princeton’s .325 BA is third in Ivy games, behind Harvard (.333) and Columbia (.328) with Brown fifth (.293). Princeton led the Ivy in fielding percentage in Ivy games, at .983 and ahead of Columbia’s second-best .980. Princeton also led the league in Ivy games in slugging percentage (.508), on-base percentage (.425), runs scored (133), RBI (130), walks (92), opponent batting average (.211), batters struck out (123), fewest hits allowed (111), fewest runs allowed (46), and fewest homers allowed (six). 

Princeton’s 245 runs scored this season are the most for the program since 1996, when Princeton scored 284 runs. The program record is 402, set in 1995. Princeton’s .313 BA would be the best season-ending batting average since 1996, when Princeton hit .316. The program record there is .341, set in 1995. Princeton’s 15 triples this season are the most since a program-record 27 in 1995. The team’s 41 homers this season are tied for the second-most in program history with Lisa Van Ackeren’s first team, which hit 41 in 2013. The only team that hit more was the 2008 team, which hit 55. The team’s 236 RBI this season are the third-most in program history, behind only the 1995 team’s 328 and the 1988 team’s 246. 

As TigerBlog said, first pitch is at noon today. There will be three games tomorrow.

Last pitch will hopefully be Saturday.

INDIANOLA, Iowa- Four Wartburg individuals competed in the heptathlon and pentathlon Thursday at the American Rivers Conference outdoor track and field championships. The No. 21 ranked Wartburg women’s track and field team were represented by Caitlin Benesh, Brooke Shafer, and Jazmine Woode. The No. 12 ranked Wartburg men’s track and field team were represented by Daniel Zietlow. The two events will conclude tomorrow.

Women’s Competitors

Caitlin Benesh, 2nd, 2503 points

100m Hurdles: 15.70

High Jump: 1.38m 4-06.25

Shot Put: 10.19m 33-05.25

200m: 26.91

Brooke Shafer: 4th, 2457 points

100m Hurdles: 16.10

High Jump: 1.41m 4-07.50

Shot Put: 10.19m 33-05.25

200m: 27.02

Jazmine Woode: 10th, 2063 points

100m Hurdles: 17.48

High Jump: 1.41m 4-07.50

Shot Put: 8.63m 28-03.75

200m: 28.96

Men’s Competitors

Daniel Zietlow: 7th, 2909 points

100m: 11.75

Long Jump: 5.54m 18-02.25

Shot Put: 10.74m 35-3.00

High Jump: 1.72m 5-07.50

400m: 54.28

Up Next

Events resume at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow in Indianola.