Daily 49er April 23, 2015

DAILY 49ER California State University, Long Beach

Vol. LIX, Issue 863

www.daily49er.com

Thursday, April 23, 2015

She always dreamed of attending college. Being undocumented was the roadblock to that dream. She received zero financial aid and had limited support from her teachers and counselors. “She picked up the pencil and did it herself,” her brother said.

Miriam Hernandez will be next year’s ASI vice president.

49er in Focus

Michael A res | Daily 49er

ASI Senator Miriam Hernandez stands inside the Horn Center on campus. This week’s 49er in Focus is online at www.daily49er.com.

Softball

CSULB is killin’ it Grounds keepers battle killer beehives on campus.

By Collin James Assistant News Editor

The eradication of a bee colony in the Engineering and Computer Science building is part of an ongoing battle to remove increasingly aggressive swarms from the campus.

Grounds and Landscape Services used pesticides last month to eliminate a beehive, located on the fifth floor of the stairwell, yet a few bees still cling to life.

“They have come back [and] re-inhabited a hive that we had there a couple years ago,” said Brian McKinnon, the manager of the Grounds and Landscaping Services, which handles campus pest control.

McKinnon said that the beehives their

department removes appear to be Africanized honeybees.

Africanized bees, known more commonly as “killer bees,” are more aggressive and harder to eliminate than European honeybees, McKinnon said.

“Africanized bees are very territorial and will go to great lengths to protect their area,” McKinnon said. “They also pick very unusual spots to colonize, which will be in building walls… irrigation boxes and electrical panels.”

Computer science senior Ripley Otero said that he believes the beehive in the Engineering building moved in during the fall swarming season last semester. “[My professor] cancelled class because he’s allergic,” Otero said. “But I haven’t heard of anyone getting stung.”

Hives swarm and create new colonies with a new queen bee when part of a hive leaves to form new breeding grounds, Lamar Rush, the pest and control supervisor of the city of Long Beach, said.

“You have a spring and a fall [swarming] season,” Rush said. “They’ll start a swarm to find a new place to start a hive.”

The spring swarming season typically lasts from March to the end of June, Rush said.

Rush said that most bee swarms his department handles are a hybrid be-

See KILLER, page 3

News 2

Diversions 4

Bobby Yagake | P ublication

The Beach defeated Cal State Fullerton 6-1 on Wednesday in the 49er Softball Complex.

Grand slam powers 49ers past Titans

Lombardi and company completed a sweep of Big West rival to extend winning streak to four games.

By Josh Barajas Contributing Writer

The 49ers beat the Fullerton Titans twice on Wednesday at the 49er Softball Complex to complete the three-game sweep and take sole possession of second

Opinions 6

place in the Big West.

“We’ve been picking it up, as you can see,” Sophomore catcher Lauren Lombardi said. “We’ve been doing better and better, and I think everybody’s getting more comfortable with each other. We’re

See GRAND SLAM, page 8

Sports 8

2

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Cityd49er@gmail.com

www.daily49er.com

News

SPOT on evaluation ASI proposes a new anonymous professor evaluation to increase student success.

By Mindy Lockhart Contributing Writer

Michael Ares | Daily 49er

ADVOCATING FOR ASSAULT AWARENESS California State University, Long Beach students, staff and faculty march through campus holding up signs advocating for the elimination of sexual assault and relationship violence for Take Back the Night on Wednesday. As part of the Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, the group rallied together shouting chants as they tried bringing awareness to the issue on campus. The march began at Maxson Plaza and ended at the Soroptimist House.

The Associated Students, Inc. Senate passed a resolution on Wednesday for a first reading that would encourage evaluations of professors to be conducted throughout the entire semester.

The resolution states that in order to address conflicts with students during the semester, the professor would have the option of using a third party program to be evaluated throughout the whole semester.

“The purpose of a formative evaluation, rather than at the end [of the semester], is to provide ongoing feedback and a process can be improved along the way rather than looking at a process after it is over,” Assistant Dean of Students Dr. Jeane Caveness said.

Summative evaluations are given at the end of a semester and the proposed evaluation would be formative, providing ongoing feedback.

“Students felt that the summative evaluations don’t necessarily help them with in class concerns,” ASI Sen. Joanna Yan said.

The evaluations in place today are Student Perceptions of Teaching, or SPOT, and are a tool that California State University, Long Beach uses to provide student feedback on faculty teaching.

Using SPOT, CSULB administrators can ensure that professors are providing teaching effectiveness.

According to CSULB’s Faculty Affairs website, “teaching effectiveness includes characteristics that will influence a student’s attitudes and behaviors in the learning environment.”

The resolution is encouraging CSULB professors to incorporate an anonymous online evaluation program in order to increase student success. Professors would not be forced to use the program, but would be encouraged.

The evaluations would be anonymous and professors would be asked to acknowledge student concerns and inform students of the evaluation results.

“I think majority of professors are interested in the learning experience students have and I think this benefits them,” ASI Sen. Joshua Wong said.

According to the resolution, CSULB students lack the motivation to fill out SPOT because it is distributed at the end of the semester.

“This is a more formative form of evaluations because you can access it anytime,” Yan said. “A professor can [receive the evaluations] throughout the course and then the course can be changed and improved.”

The resolution argues that there is a power dynamic between professors and students, which may cause students to feel daunted by their professors.

The evaluations aim to reduce, “the inherent power dynamic and the fear of students going to professors and talking about concerns because they may feel like it might affect them somehow,” Yan said.

The ASI Senate will move forward with this resolution for a second reading next week.

News

cityd49er@gmail.com

www.daily49er.com

Outbreak ends

KILLER

continued from page 1

tween the European and African honey bees.

“The only way to really tell what they are is by using a DNA test,” Rush said.

Despite their infamous reputation, Rush said that even the killer bees are not usually a threat to the public.

“If you have a hive that has been around for a while... they become very protective of that hive,” Rush said.

“But the swarms that you see are not really aggressive, unless somebody starts to mess around [with them].”

Hives that have been around for two years or more are considered to be old hives, Rush said.

Nelson Kerr, the manager of the bureau of environmental health in the City of Long Beach, said that his department gets 400-500 calls from the public each year regarding newly formed beehives.

“We don’t have to eliminate bees every time we see them,” Kerr said.

“Bees are just a natural part of the environment.”

Bees serve a vital role in pollinating California’s agriculture and relocating the hives to beekeepers for that purpose is an alternative to eliminating them, Kerr said.

However, with the Africanized bees inbreeding more, McKinnon said it makes removing much more difficult and dangerous.

“Some of the bee keepers have not been willing to take them,” McKinnon said. “It seems like a real shame to actually kill them.”

SHS says vaccinations are key in preventing measles.

By Gene Kumagai Contributing Writer

The spread of measles that has been hanging over California’s shoulder for the past five months came to a close last week.

Dr. Michael Carbuto, the head physician at Student Health Services in California State University, Long Beach, said that he expects that the university will be more stringent with its students’ immunization statuses.

“We already put a registration hold on students who aren’t up-to-date on their vaccines,” Carbuto said. “It’s more of an administration thing, but we’ll probably send out more information to persuade students to get vaccinated.”

SHS saw a similar lack of response from students during the outbreak. Carbuto said that five students came in with concerns that they had been exposed to or contracted measles, but that none of them had the disease.

“The level of concern [among students] was low because [the student who contracted measles] was such an isolated incident,” Carbuto said.

Carbuto said that the CSULB student who contracted measles had recovered and returned to school by the time the initial email notice was sent out to students in January. Kandi Dubrall, the immunization coordinator at SHS said that two students came in to receive measles, mumps and rubella vaccines during the

got opinions?

politics.government.learn.presidential.candidates.celebrity.audit.money.finances.majors.department.professors. schedule.work.paycheck.taxes.budgetcuts.news.media.life. sex.entertainment.relationship.need.politics.government. politics. learn.presidential.candidates.celebrity.technology. family.tests.life.publicschool.tuition.personal.education.books. health.science.sex.entertainment.relationship.need.politics.gover nment.email opedD49er@gmail.com

The Daily 49er is holding AUDITIONS for the Weekly News Show!

If your dream is to be on TV, now is your chance!

WE WANT YOU! E-mail Paige Pelonis, the Editor-in-Chief at eicd49er@gmail.com for more info.

for STUDENTS

EAP OPTOMETRY 6541 E. SPRING ST. LONG BEACH, CA 90808

562.496.3365 EapOptometry.com Our office is located in the Stater Bros. Shopping Center (Spring St. & Palo Verde Ave.)*A value frame with single vision plastic lenses (sph 4, cyl 3). A valid current student ID must be presented at the time of services. The offer cannot be combined with any other discounts or insurance.

$99 SPECIAL INCLUDES: EYE EXAM + EYEGLASSES* OR

EYE EXAM + 1 PAIR OF DISPOSABLE CONTACT LENSES OR

20% OFF EYE EXAM 20% OFF EYEGLASSES 20% OFF PRESCRIPTION SUNGLASSES

Thursday April 23, 2015

People in the U.S. who are unvaccinated for the measles

outbreak.

Some CSULB students said that they had not paid close attention to continuing news of the outbreak.

“Obviously, [people should get vaccinat13% had ed] if they like not other dying,” senior reasons 43% cited psychology maphilosophical jor Jasmine Ang or religious said.

According to a objections to press release for the vaccinations 4% represented CDPH announcemissed ment, a total of 131 opportunities for cases linked to the outbreak were reportvaccination ed among Califor40% were nia residents.

The outbreak ineligible because Of the 159 patients began with 42 cases directly linked to an they were too with reported initial exposure at Disneyland and spread young to recieve measles in the 2015 further through secondary cases. Cases vaccination were identified by the genotype of the vioutbreaks 45% were rus, which was designated as the B3 strain. unvaccinated According to a CDPH surveillance update, 57 of the 82 cases who had vaccination reAccording to vaccines.gov, the MMR cords were unvaccinated and 25 were eivaccine and others like it work even ther partially or completely vaccinated. without 100 percent effectiveness because 18% According to the CDPH press release, of herd immunity, which means that outtwo doses of the MMR vaccine produce breaks of contagious diseases are effecreceived immunity in more than 97 percent of pa- tively contained by the scarcity of eligible the measle 38% had vaccine tients. hosts. Chavez said during a teleconference unknown “We have a vaccine that is highly effec- that the measles outbreak spread quickly vaccination tive and widely available,” said Dr. Gil- because of concentrated populations of status berto Chavez, the deputy director of the unvaccinated people.

CDPH Center for Infectious Diseases. “So “We have a particular responsibility to measles and these types of measles compli- protect all of our infants in the state uncations should really not occur in this day til they are old enough to be vaccinated,” Source: International Weekly Journal of Science and age.”

Chavez said.

Illustration by Elexis deLeon

SEARCHING FOR AD MANAGER FOR THE 2015-2016 SCHOOL YEAR QUALIFICATIONS: -Student at CSULB (preferably junior or sophomore) -Sales experience -Proficient in word, excel, powerpoint -Outgoing personality -Easily adapts to working with large groups -Patient with sales representatives

PREFERRED: -Previous experience working with a newspaper or print publication -Experience managing a small team -Ability to mentor and teach others on how to sell products and services

JOB BENEFITS: EYE CARE

3

-20 hours a week, flexible hours -Paid position -Great for your resume -Get involved on campus!

INTERESTED? PLEASE CONTACT: Beverly Munson General Manager Daily 49er Newspaper and Dig Magazine 562/985-5736 beverly.munson@csulb.edu

4

Q &A Thursday, April 23, 2015

www.daily49er.com

DiversionD49er@gmail.com

Dialogue for decency

A “sexpertise” panel is coming to CSULB’s campus on Monday to talk about the importance of consent, communication and trust in all areas of intimacies.

By Stephanie Thai Contributing Writer

Now that you’ve survived the dreaded sit down sex talk with your parents of your pre-pubescent years, Bryn Cartwright hopes to graduate the topics to a college-level course.

Cartwright, a senior anthropology major at California State University, Long Beach, organized the Speaker’s Panel on Consent, Communication & Trust, a presentation dedicated to those in seeking an open forum for discussing sexual relationships as well as alternative intimacies such as kink and BDSM. On Monday, the University Student Union Beach Auditorium will become a safe space to openly discuss nontraditional intimacies and sexual relationships with six speakers from various areas of “sexpertise.”

The free event runs from 6 to 8 p.m.

In efforts to maintain attendees’ confidentiality, the auditorium will be dimly lit with the question portion taken anonymously.

The Daily 49er sat down with Cartwright to learn more about Monday’s panel.

What is the event about?

The Speaker’s Panel on Consent, Communication & Trust is an event that helps teach others in an academic and safe environment how to navigate nontraditional intimacies or sexual relationships. We’re taught as kids, mostly by “heteronormative” parents, so they have a heteronormative way of being. Traditionally, sex is not spoken of even though we’re sexually transmitted people – that’s how we got here.

One of the people mistook this as just “sex education” and that’s not it. It’s not learning about anatomy and organs. This is to support people who have a different idea of what “intimate” means.

What inspired you to create and organize a panel for nontraditional sexual lifestyle choices?

I was inspired to [organize the panel] after watching the “Not Anymore” video. I saw that it was meaningful to share stories about being violated, but all I saw were these people who have been hurt and violated and they went into these relationships without knowing what they’re doing, without developing trusting or consensual guidelines. I thought “this is great” but it’s not solving anything in my opinion.

I think that if you don’t address your desires –whether it is your homosexuality, your [interest] in kink or polyamory—they become negative, they become psychological instabilities and they fester like wounds. That kind of pressure doesn’t allow you to act like a calm and sensible person.

One of the key phrases in kink communities that you’ll hear all the time is “Safe, Sane and Sensual.”

Who will be speaking on the panel?

I have people who are speaking on polyamory, BDSM, kink, LGBT, activism and equal rights. Also, I have people talking about the psychology and culture behind it. They’re going to talk to the [audience] about consent and how to get it, how to trust, who to trust and what words you can use to get that trust.

What difficulties did you face trying to organize this event?

I found out today that I had some of my posters – even though they were legally posted—were found in the dumpster. I’ve seen some of the posters torn down. Either someone’s just doing a bad job cleaning old flyers or someone’s malicious and it struck a chord with them. This is a subject that makes people very uncomfortable, but that’s why I’m doing it and it’s in a safe place.

What do you want students to get out of this?

You’ll see people in all walks of life – maybe they’re your teachers, friends or someone who goes to church every Sunday – they all have secret lives.

This event can teach younger generations because most of them haven’t even touched on the subject. People who are kink or sadomasochistic will sometimes have their kids taken away from them or they’ll lose their jobs. It becomes a human rights issue. That’s not fair. People who study women and gender studies – this would interest them. People who study anthropology and culture – this would interest them. Even people who study marketing, you might want to know that this is a big thing—like when “50 Shades of Grey” came out. It’s a human rights issue, it’s a human nature issue. So go and learn something.

Diversions Free Events

4/23 “The Love of Three Oranges” by Hillary DePiano Presented by Arts Ink CSULB Soroptimist House 8 p.m.

Arts Ink presents Hillary DePiano’s farce of Commedia dell’Arte titled “The Love of Three Oranges.” The wild, slapstick-comedy play will have its opening night on Thursday and will run two additional shows on the courtyard outside of the Theatre Arts Department at 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

04/25 Green Prize Festival

Cesar Chavez Park, 401 Golden Ave. 1 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Keep the Earth Day party going until Saturday at the Green Prize Festival, a one day event that showcases urban farmers and green chefs with a backdrop of live music, art, beer gardens and other family-friendly activities.

4th Saturday Swing MADhaus, 624 Pacific Ave. 8 p.m. – noon

Lindy Hop on over to the heart of Long Beach for an hour-long, free swing dance class at 8 p.m. and open floor for the rest of the evening. Admission is free for a night of live jazz—no partner needed.

NEED A BREAK FROM YOUR STUDIES?

come grab something fun at

Love Stuff large selection of lotions, toys, lingerie, shoes and more!...

show college ID for 5% discount

1

free toy with any purchase over $50!

5114 East 2nd Street, Long Beach

Need a place to stay this summer?

St. John’s offers on-campus housing for summer interns.

For more information and to secure your spot, contact csevents@stjohns.edu

M1-8277-RM

Diversions

diversiond49er@gmail.com

www.daily49er.com

5

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Cashing in on efforts beyond the desk and in the city

CSULB’s professional programs director is no stranger to giving back to her community.

By Michelle Vazquez Contributing Writer

The trim of the sequined, multicolored gowns kissed the stage as the spotlight waved from one impeccably dressed woman to the next; their smiles masked the unbearable anticipation to hear who would be named 2015 Mrs. California United States.

Amongst one of those was Mrs. Long Beach.

“I’ve never competed in a pageant,” the woman with a thin face framed in coal-black hair said through a welcoming smile. “I’ve never really had a desire to do it.”

Regina Cash, director of professional programs at California State University, Long Beach, works full-time and decided to add pageant queen to her to-do list.

At the Mrs. California pageant, Cash did not take home the crown. Instead, she was recognized as the fourth runner-up and was awarded the Judges Civic Award for dedication to her platform and community service.

“That meant more to me than getting fourth runner up, to be honest,” Cash

Michael A res | Daily 49er

Director of Professional Programs at California State University, Long Beach Regina Cash not only provides services to CSULB, but also to the community as well through programs such as the Long Beach Giving Project. said. “I love being at service, [for others] to recognize that is a big deal for me.”

But the stage was simply a springboard for her community service already in the works.

Cash received $1,000 alongside 12 other contestants with her work in the Long Beach Giving Project late last month. Over an eight-day period, she assisted various people ranging from a

World War II veteran to three women with special needs.

“She kind of takes control of situations and is very personable and likeable,” Justin Rudd, the organizer of the Giving Project and other Long Beach non-profits a part of his Community Action Team, said.

From trips to the supermarket to buying school uniforms, Cash helped

each individual with whatever they needed.

“I didn’t want to just give money or credit cards,” Cash said. “I wanted to sit down with them and get to know them.”

Of the people she helped, Cash said that Zeena Valenzuela, a former victim of sexual abuse, stood out in particular.

The woman in her 40s and mother of five boys grew up in the barrios of Ha-

waiian Gardens with a gang-affiliated father and teenage lapse of drug abuse.

One day in 2014, 12 gang members kidnapped Valenzuela and raped her over a two-day period.

When Cash heard Valenzuela’s disturbing story at a charity event, she decided to reach out to her.

“I was going through all kinds of emotions,” Valenzuela said, referencing her hesitation in accepting Cash’s offer.

“I don’t want to be somebody’s charity case.”

She eventually accepted and asked for one thing: to see a dentist.

“I smiled,” Cash said, reminiscing about Valenzuela’s proud strut back to the waiting room. “She was smiling and happy even when her face was a little puffy and in pain; it was a great feeling.”

Cash received the inaugural Cindy Engoy Award for her volunteer work and won an extra $500 to distribute however she wanted.

Cash split her winnings with Jason Lehman, founder of the nonprofit Why’d You Stop Me? “Meeting Regina has been one of the coolest things to happen to my nonprofit,” Lehman said, referring to her hand in helping his organization expand through word of mouth. He added that having someone like Cash believe in what he was doing felt “absolutely awesome.”

She’s working on creating and developing programs and courses alongside volunteering. Beyond the Basics Leadership Certificate Program and Workforce Development Professional Certificate Program are two of her most recent endeavors.

6

www.daily49er.com

Thursday, April 23, 2015

OpedD49er@gmail.com

Opinions

Boston bomber deserves death

Blake Pinto Contributing Writer

I

f Dzhokhar Tsarnaev does not receive the death penalty, we might as well abolish it.

At the 2013 Boston Marathon, Tsarnaev and his brother detonated multiple homemade bombs, killed three people, including an 8-year-old and a Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officer, injured hundreds and had a shootout with police, according to CNN on April 12.

If that doesn’t qualify for the death penalty, what does?

Capital punishment is the law of the land. For literally thousands of years across the globe, humans have felt justified doing it to other humans, many times in the pursuit of justice. America has embraced it since Independence Day and for a variety of crimes, including arson, piracy, horse stealing, slavery rebellion and, of course, murder, according to PBS. However, as we’ve evolved as a nation, so has our conscience. Ironically, we attempt to improve capital punishment; we sentence less people to death and have a more limited list of crimes that qualify for capital punishment while steadily knocking more crimes off the list, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

Murder is still on there, though, and it’s a big one; we can’t help but want an eye for an eye.

We’ve created death row to civilize a primal impulse to make sure that the condemned are absolutely guilty, which has led to years of appeals. We’ll never know if we have allowed the occasional innocent man to fall through the cracks.

Sometimes, though, cases like the Boston bombing come along, and it is a

What

did

reminder of why we have been unable to shed the death penalty from our ever-developing sense of justice.

There are 3,108 inmates on death row in the United States, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

If Tsarnaev’s bombing does not warrant death, then those 3,000 inmates should immediately have their sentencing changed to life or life without parole; never again should there be an execution.

By killing Tsarnaev, the U.S. may be creating a martyr, but without it, he won’t be getting what he deserves.

Nicolaus Czarnecki/Zuma P ress/TNS

It wouldn’t be fair for the U.S. justice system to kill any of those 3,108 inmates for murdering someone if Tsarnaev, who murdered three people and attempted to murder hundreds more in an act of terrorism, gets to live out the rest of his life.

Parents of the Boston bombing victims have stated that they would hope to see Tsarnaev sentenced to life without parole, in hopes to avoid reliving the horror of the day over and over through the appeals process in court, according to NBC last month.

Some may be afraid that killing the unapologetic murderer will paint him as some sort of martyr to other extremists.

Is it more acceptable to execute a

Top: Flowers with a handwritten note “We will never forget, Boston Strong 4/15/2013” lay at the scene of the first blast of the Boston Marathon bombing on Boylston Street in Boston on Wednesday, April 15, 2015. Below, a handout photo released by the Boston Police Department shows Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev at a younger age, one of the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombings. man if his appeals process is shorter and more convenient or because he will not be seen as a martyr?

Is there some sort of perfect formula for who should die, and who should live? Or is death too finite a punishment for something as versatile as crime?

My mind completely agrees with the family, and with those who worry about his portrayal as a martyr, but my heart desires vengeance.

A CNN/ORC poll released on Tuesday stated that 53 percent of Americans

favor the death penalty for Tsarnaev.

However, if Tsarnaev somehow avoids his deserved fate, then it would shatter the legitimacy of the death penalty and any credibility of putting an inmate on death row will be lost.

The Massachusetts jury’s decision will definitely kill something. America will be watching to see if it is Tsarnaev or the death penalty.

Blake Pinto is a junior journalism major.

C a m p u s Vo i c e

California State University, Long Beach

“Show people that tap water is okay to drink and not to buy bottled water.”

students do to help out for

“I’m taking the city bus to and from school.”

—Nik Mohan, sophomore, environmental science major

—Sravanti Bassa, senior environmental science and policy major

Daily 49er Paige Pelonis Editor in Chief eicd49er@gmail.com (562) 985-7998 Print Manager Multimedia Manager News Editor Sports Editor Diversions Editor Opinions Editor

Danielle Carson Greg Diaz Amy Patton Oscar Terrones Brooke Becher Ariana Sawyer

Boston Police Department/ZUMA24.com

Earth Day?

“I’m going to raise awareness for mass transportation.”

—Whitney Miller, junior, environmental science major

Editorial Office

General Manager Beverly Munson (562) 985-5736

Phone (562) 985-8001 Fax (562) 985-1740

1250 Bellflower Blvd., LA4-201 Long Beach, CA 90840-4601

Advertising Manager

1250 Bellflower Blvd., LA4-203A Long Beach, CA 90840-4601

Phone (562) 985-8000 Fax (562) 985-7994

Photo Editor Michael Ares Staff Photographer Bobby Yagake Radio Producer Jesus Ambrosio News Anchor Jonathan Murrietta Emily Rasmussen

Matt Dalton (858) 539-3728

Assistant News Editor Madison D’Ornellas Collin James Nicca Panggat Assistant Sports Editor Zach Weber Design Director Megan Gilbreath Design Assistant KC Schaper

Business Office

Weekly 49er Editor Johnny Romero Video Producers Stephanie Thai Kevin Flores Michelle Siebert Design Adviser Gary Metzker Content Adviser Barbara Kingsley-Wilson

Editorials: All opinions expressed in the columns, letters and cartoons in this issue are those of the writers or artists. The Letters Policy: All letters and e-mail must bear the phone number opinions of the Daily 49er are expressed only in unsigned editorials and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the journalism of the writer and must be no more than 300 words. The Daily 49er reserves the right to edit letters for publication in regard to space. department or the views of all staff members. All such editorials are written by the editorial board of the Daily 49er.

Classifieds

Advertisingd49er@gmail.com

7

Thursday, April 23, 2015

www.daily49er.com

Men’s Volleyball

Postseason mentality in full swing The 49ers will look to take down dominant the ‘Bows in the first round of playoff matches.

By Kayce Contatore Staff Writer

Bobby Yagake | Daily 49er

Three Long Beach State players block the ball against Cal State Northridge on April 18 in the Walter Pyramid.

than ready for the match even if they don’t have the knowledge or experience of playing in a postseason game.

“We’ve been preparing for this since September,” Knipe said. “Once we get a few points in the match, the attention to detail in our game plan and our system and the general over-

all competitiveness of the environment, they will be just fine.”

Hawaii is coming off of its first twogame series losing streak against No. 5 seed BYU in Utah over the weekend, snapping a 16-match winning streak. “[Hawaii is] going to fight,” junior

outside hitter John La Rusch said.

“They always do no matter where they’re playing. They are doing very well this year and obviously don’t want to lose.”

LBSU fell to Hawaii in a two-game series on Feb. 27-28 inside the Walter Pyramid. Seniors Brook Sedore and

Daily49er Daily49er

10. Announcements

City Diversions News Opinions City Diversions News Opinions Photo Radio Social Media Photo Radio Social Media Sports Video Sports Video assistant positions also available

30. School & Instruction

the the

The No. 11 Long Beach State men’s volleyball team kept the mood light during Tuesday’s practice, using volleyballs to shoot hoops between drills in preparation for its first playoff match against No. 3 Hawaii.

The 49ers (15-12 overall, 11-11 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) enter the postseason as the No. 7 seed in the MPSF tournament. The Rainbow Warriors (235, 18-4 MPSF) earned the No. 2 seed.

LBSU junior outside hitter Andrew Whitt said his team is excited to head to Hawaii and fight for a win in the first round of the postseason.

“We’re ready to compete,” Whitt said. “We’re heading [into the playoffs] with a lot of steam right now.

We’re going to have fun and it will be a good matchup against Hawaii.”

A senior-laden LBSU squad fell to Pepperdine last year in the quarterfinals. With a relatively young and inexperienced 49er team, head coach Alan Knipe said his guys are more

Taylor Averill lead the Rainbow Warriors in kills per set with 2.86 and 2.08, respectively, on the season.

Hawaii will get another opportunity to play in front of its raucous home crowd that routinely packs the Stan Sheriff Center. The ‘Bows had a season-high 7,296 fans in attendance for Senior Night on April 11.

“A huge thing we’re working on right now is communication,” La Rusch said. “It’s going to [play] a huge part playing in Hawaii, especially with so many fans yelling out at some point. It’s going to be hard to hear ourselves think.”

This is the first time in five years that Hawaii has hosted an MPSF quarterfinal match, its last one being on April 24, 2010 against Pepperdine.

The 49ers will look to snap the Rainbow Warriors’ eight-game home winning streak.

“It’s exactly the kind of environment that you want as a college athlete,” Knipe said. “At this time, whatever your record is, the only thing that changes at this point is whether you’re playing at home or playing on the road. It’s a wonderful experience that [Hawaii] can create with the crowd, the arena and television and I know our guys are fired up to go over there.”

The 49ers face off against Hawaii in the quarterfinal match on Saturday for the MPSF tournament starting at 10:30 p.m.

Paid research study at the University of Washington We are looking for men and women aged 18-25 years old to participate in a study on health behaviors.

Earn up to $75 in gift certificates of a select number of merchants.

Visit: http://depts.washington.edu/uwstarr

is is

HIRING HIRING assistant positions also available

Applications due To learn how to become a part Applications due Nov. 30 @49er 5 p.m. of The Daily Staff

Nov. 30 5 p.m.

@ Hall Turn in to kasia

Turn in to kasia Hall

Pick up an application in LA4 201 Question? Talk to the editors inOR SSPA-004, 562.985.7998, eicD49er@gmail.com Question? Talk to the eicd49er@gmail.com editors in SSPA-004, 562.985.7998, eicD49er@gmail.com email

APPLICATIONS DUE Tuesday, April 28 @ 5 p.m.

stay up

Take Oceanography Online this Summer and never enter a classroom! Geology 160 will be taught by Bruce Perry from May 26- Aug 14.

Learn about he ocean and earn 3 units of GE science credit towards graduation from CSULB.

to date with D49er tweets @daily49er

35. Employment Opportunites New business expand to China, Japan and Philippines. Leaders wanted here and abroad.

Call 562-425-1989 leave name/phone #/best time to call.

Young Entrepreneur Program - Be your own boss www.tinyurl.com/ebilane2

40. Misc. for Sale Business idea for sale. Welcome municiple mayors. Seeking multi-billion $ funding for new football stadium Tax payers free 310.521.9961

8

Sports

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Sportsd49er@gmail.com

49ers face first place Matadors Softball

By Josh Barajas Staff Writer

The Long Beach State softball team will host Big West leader Cal State Northridge at the 49er Softball Complex for a three-game series starting Saturday looking to close the gap in league standings.

The Matadors (37-10, 12-0) began conference play by sweeping Cal Poly, UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara and UC Riverside. CSUN’s last defeat came nearly a month ago on March 26 when it lost 6-4 against No. 10 UCLA in ten innings. “[CSUN is] a solid team,” head coach Kim Sowder said. “They’ve had a good season from the start to right now.

They’re finding a way to win every game.”

The 49ers (21-22, 8-4) are fresh off a sweep of Cal State Fullerton that gave them sole possession of second place in the Big West. Sowder said this is the most momentum the team has had all season.

“It’s been a struggle getting that mo-

Bobby Yagake | Daily 49er

Long Beach State pitcher Christina Clermont delivers a pitch against Cal State Fullerton on April 18 at the 49er Softball Complex. mentum,” Sowder said. “But we definitely are playing the best softball we have all season. We’re just really getting timely hitting and timely pitching.”

The 49ers have their toughest test ahead of them this weekend when they face CSUN’s top-ranked offense. The Matadors have a .316 team batting average, and are tops in both on base (.386)

and slugging percentage (.481).

Sophomore right-hander Christina Clermont and catcher Lauren Lombardi said they were confident about the series.

“I’m hoping that this energy from the sweep will carry over [against CSUN],” Lombardi said. “Hopefully we’ll be some of their first losses.”

A pair of sophomores powers the Matadors’ offense. Catcher Katie Hooper is tops in the Big West in home runs (14) and runs batted in (51). Outfielder Taylor Glover leads the conference in stolen bases (26) and is hitting .396.

CSUN’s pitching has kept pace with the offense. Freshman right-hander Zoe Conley was named a finalist for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Freshman of the Year Award last week, and is the reigning Big West Player of the Week.

The first-year pitcher ranks second in the conference in earned run average (1.45) and wins (18). She has thrown 118 strikeouts in 130.1 innings pitched, and owns a total of seven shutouts on the season.

Senior right-hander Brianna Elder has been equally as effective as Conley. She ranks second in the conference with an outstanding 160 punch outs in 144.2 innings. Elder owns an ERA of 2.18 and boasts 15 wins on the season.

“We’re excited to play [CSUN],” Clermont said. “We love good competition, so we’re just going to do our stuff and get after them.”

The 49ers will host the Matadors in a three-game series starting with a Saturday doubleheader at 1 p.m.

“

Baseball

Dirtbags aim to tame Mustangs The Beach battles reigning Big West champions as the race to the postseason heats up.

By Eddie Rivera Staff Writer

The pressure is mounting for the Long Beach State baseball team as it hits the road to take on conference opponent Cal Poly in a three-game weekend series starting Friday night at Baggett Stadium.

The Dirtbags (21-15, 7-5 Big West) are not faring well lately, dropping five of their last eight contests including a 4-2 Tuesday night loss at Loyola Marymount. LBSU is just 4-9 on the road, and head coach Troy Buckley said the team needs to learn how to win away from Blair Field if it wants to make a push towards the postseason.

“We’ve got to get tougher on the offensive side of the baseball field,” Buckley said. “We need to take better at-bats and not fall behind.”

The Mustangs’ (17-20, 5-4 Big West) pitching has been suspect all season as evidenced by their 4.35 team ERA, which ranks near the bottom of the conference. However, they are riding hot right now by winning seven of their last nine games.

Right-hander Casey Bloomquist is slated to get the start Friday night

against the Dirtbags. The third year starter is 3-2 on the season with a 3.36 ERA and is second on the team in total strikeouts with 44. However, his control on the mound is lacking so far this season as he leads the Mustangs in both wild pitches and walks.

The Mustangs rank in the top-four in multiple offensive categories in the Big West. Junior first basemen Ryan Drobny is one of six Big West players hitting over .400 in conference-only contests.

He possesses a .419 batting average with a .500 on base percentage against Big West opponents.

Dirtbags junior right-fielder Zack Rivera said the players are stressing the importance of scoring runs and making sure the offense lessens the burden on the pitching staff.

“It’s not acceptable what we have been doing,” Rivera said. “We definitely need to finish strong if we want to be on top of the conference.”

The Dirtbags have the lowest team batting average and on base percentage in the Big West conference. However, freshmen outfielder Joey Sanchez and designated hitter Luke Rasmussen are giving much needed production at the plate for the Dirtbags as of late.

Sanchez is getting more playing time at centerfield and is coming off a breakout performance Saturday against UC Riverside. He went 5-5 and scored the game-winning run. Rasmussen leads the team with a .419 batting average and his last two games have been his best of the season. He went 4-5 with

Continued from page 1

rallying together.”

Fullerton (27-20, 5-7) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth, but Long Beach State (21-22, 8-4) responded swiftly in the bottom half of the inning. After loading the bases, CSUF right-hander Jasmine Antunez walked in a run to tie the game at one a piece.

Lombardi stepped up to the plate, and with the count 3-1 she took a swing that sent the ball over the centerfield fence for her second grand slam in as many games.

“I just came up there and I knew what I had to do,” Lombardi said. “I just had to move people over and get on base. It’s almost like you have so much pressure on you that you just have to wipe everything out.”

Lombardi’s eighth home run of the season tied her with teammate Darian Tautalafua for the most runs batted in a single season.

Sowder praised her hitter for

“

One of the biggest challenges awaits The Beach in the last stretch of the season.

GRAND SLAM

I just came up there and I knew what I had to do. I just had to move people over and get on base. It’s almost like you have so much pressure on you that you just have to wipe everything out.

-Lauren Lombardi, Sophomore catcher

Bobby Yagake | Daily 49er

Long Beach State third baseman Alex DeGoti attempts to throw a UC Riverside runner out at first base on April 17 at Blair Field. three walks and two RBIs between Saturday and Tuesday’s games.

The Dirtbags are fairing better on the mound, where three of their starters have combined to win six of the 10 Big West Pitcher of the Week awards this season. Freshman right-hander Chris Mathewson was the latest to win the weekly honor, his third of the season.

Mathewson is the fifth Dirtbag and first freshman in school history to win

the award three times, joining Marcus Jones (1996), Cesar Ramos (2005), Andrew Carpenter (2006) and Jared Weaver (2003, 2004). He also ranks 10th in the nation with a 1.28 ERA. “We just need to keep working and moving forward,” Mathewson said.

“We can’t take a step back.”

The Mustangs will host the Dirtbags at Baggett Stadium, where they are 9-9, on Friday night starting at 6 p.m.

the intensity she continues to bring every time.

“Just watching her bunt in practice, you could see the focus on her face,” Sowder said.

“I don’t think she’s taken any at-bat differently than any other.

She’s really in the zone, and I’m just happy for her [and] for us.”

Sophomore right-hander Christina Clermont pitched her 13th complete game of the season to seal the 5-1 win.

“We’re playing with a lot of confidence when [Clermont]’s in the circle,” head coach Kim Sowder said. “She’s put a lot of good games together in a row now.”

Game two was a much closer game. Fullerton jumped to a 5-2 lead in the third inning, but the 49ers rallied in the fifth when a two-out Titans error gave LBSU extra at-bats. A two RBI single by junior infielder Darian Tautalafua and an RBI single by freshman infielder Julia Lombardi tied the game at five.

The Titans added a run in the top of the seventh, but with one-out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, Lombardi hit a sharp grounder that second baseman Samantha Galarza was unable to handle.

The error allowed pinch runner Rachel Loera to score the gamewinning run from second base gave LBSU the 7-6 victory.

“It was really a nice win for us, to come back like that,” Sowder said.

The 49ers will host first place Cal State Northridge at the 49er Softball Complex on Saturday at 1p.m.