LAS VEGAS—Lauren Lombardi hit a three-run home run and Hannah Cookson was 3-for-4 with four RBIs in leading Long Beach State to a 12-4 win in six innings against South Dakota Friday at the Sportco Kick Off Classic hosted by UNLV. It was the season opener for both teams.
 
Lombardi is one of three returning all-Big West honorees for the Beach, who are picked to win the Big West this season. She homered to center field in her first at bat of the season to tie the game at 3-3 in the first inning. The Beach trailed 3-0 following a three-run homer by South Dakota third baseman Sydney Hancock.
 
Christina Clermont, the 2015 Big West Co-Pitcher of the Year, went the distance for the 49ers to earn her first win of the season. After giving up the homer to Hancock, Clermont retired 16 of the final 18 batters she faced. She struck out seven and walked one.
 
South Dakota senior first baseman Yvon Minogue was 2-for-3 with a home run and two runs scored against Clermont. Minogue, an all-region performer, was the Summit League's batting champion last year with a .470 average. Minogue had half of USD's four hits.
 
Hancock's homer in the first followed a base hit up the middle by Minogue and a walk by freshman Jessica Rogers. It was her fourth collegiate home run. Hancock finished 1-for-3.
 
Minogue's homer in the sixth cut Long Beach State's lead to 10-4. Three walks loaded the bases for the Beach in the bottom of the sixth and Cookson delivered the winning runs with a walk-off double. South Dakota issued 10 free passes in the game and six came around to score.
 
The Coyotes face 19^th-ranked Washington at 11 a.m. CST Saturday and Utah Valley at 5:45 p.m. South Dakota will take on Lamar Sunday and UNLV Monday before returning to campus.