Oregon State
Florida State
Oregon State Edges Florida State to Open Cathedral City Classic
February 24, 2011 | Softball
Feb. 24, 2011
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. - The Oregon State softball team took the first of its five games at the Cathedral City Classic when it took down Florida State Thursday afternoon by a final score of 6-5.
It was a scoreless game until the top of the third inning when Oregon State put two runs on the board taking advantage of two Florida State errors. Sophomore Maggie Doremus led off the top of the third with a line drive single to left field. She then moved to second base on a Lea Cavestany bunt single.
On the Cavestany bunt single, the Florida State first baseman tried to throw out Doremus at second after she rounded the bag at second but the throw went into left field allowing Doremus to come around to score and allowed Cavestany to end up standing at third.
Senior McKenna Lowe came up next and reached on another Florida State error, this time by the short stop who couldn't handle the ball cleanly, allowing Lowe to reach base and Cavestany to score giving the Beavers the early 2-0 lead. Cavestany led the Beavers at the plate on the day going 3-for-4 with two runs scored on the day.
Florida State (8-5 overall) quickly took a 3-2 lead in the bottom half of the third inning when it scored three runs on an RBI single and a 2-run home run.
The Beavers (5-1) immediately tied the game at 3-3 in the top half of the fourth inning Paige Hall drove the ball deep into the left field corner where it rolled under the fence for a ground rule double. Isabelle Batayola, pinch running for Hall, scored two batters later when Mary Claire Brenner doubled to left center.
Oregon State reclaimed the lead in the fifth inning when Cavestany led off the inning with a single through the left side. She then advanced all the way to third base when the Florida State catcher tired to pick her off at first base but the first baseman did not get over to cover the bag allowing the ball rolled all the way down the right field line.
Redshirt junior Erin Guzy then drove the ball through the left side scoring Cavestany from third base. The Beavers added two more runs in the inning when Ally Kutz singled to left field and the left fielder tried to throw out Guzy at home plate but the ball rolled along the backstop up the first base line allowing Kilee Lippincott, who had pinch ran for Desiree Beltran, to score giving the Beavers a 6-3 lead.
Florida State pulled the score to within one run at 6-5 when Oregon State starting pitcher Marina Demore, who pitched the first five innings, was relieved by Hall in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Seminoles scored two runs on a 2-run home run but could not tie the game.
Oregon State shortstop Nikki Chandler made the play of the day defensively for the Beavers in the bottom of the sixth inning when, with a runner on second base, made a diving play to her right and then threw out the runner who tried to advance from second to third with Beltran making the tag at third base. The next hitter hit the 2-run home run which closed the Florida State deficit to 6-5 which could have been worse had it not been for Chandler's gold glove play at short.
Demore re-entered the game to pitch the seventh and final inning and closed it out to improve her record to 4-1 on the season. Florida State starting pitcher Morgan Bullock fell to 2-1 on the season. Demore pitched six innings allowing three earned runs on nine hits while walking one and striking out seven.
Oregon State takes the field again Friday for a 3 p.m. showdown with No. 1/3 Georgia 3 p.m. on the Yankee Field at the Big League Dreams Softball Complex.
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