Oregon State
UC Santa Barbara
Softball Splits in First Day of DeMarini Invitational
March 04, 2011 | Softball
March 4, 2011
FULLERTON, Calif. - The Oregon State softball team split a day-night double-header falling to UC Santa Barbara 3-0 and defeating Murray State 7-3 in first day's action at the DeMarini Invitational in Fullerton, Calif.
Game 1 vs. UC Santa Barbara
The game was scoreless with each team scattering base runners through the first five innings but it was UC Santa Barbara (10-6 overall) who broke through in the top of the sixth inning. The Gauchos loaded the bases with two outs when they got a base hit through the middle into center field which drove in a run. Oregon State center fielder Lea Cavestany ended the inning when she gunned down a Gaucho runner who tried to score from second on the play.
Oregon State (5-5) got two runners on in the bottom of the sixth inning. Ashley Sanchez singled to left field and was moved to second on an Erin Guzy sacrifice bunt. After a Paige Hall walk, Ally Kutz moved the runners to second and third with ground out but the Beavers could not push a run across to tie the game. Going to the top half of the seventh inning the Gauchos had a 1-0 lead.
The Gauchos added two more runs in the top of the sixth inning with a double down the left field line scoring two runners to take a 3-0 lead.
Oregon State starting pitcher Marina Demore went 6 2/3 innings giving up three earned runs off of five hits, five walks and four strikeouts. She left the game with two outs in the sixth inning and was responsible for runners for runners on first and second. Hall relieved Demore in the top of the seventh. The next Gaucho batter reached on a fielding error by Beavers third baseman Desiree Beltran but she recovered and tossed the ball to shortstop Nikki Chandler who backed up third base and tagged out a Gaucho runner who strayed too far off of third base after rounding the base.
The Beavers went in order in the bottom of the seventh to fall to 5-5 on the season. Demore picked up her third loss of the season dropping to 4-3 on the season. Gaucho starting pitcher Andriana Collins improved to 7-3 on the season after getting the win.
Game 2 vs. Murray State
The Beavers jumped on Murray State in the top of the first inning with five runs. Sanchez singled up the middle with one out in the inning and was moved to second when Guzy walked. They each moved up a base on an illegal pitch by the Murray State starting pitcher Chelsey Sullivan and were driven in on a Hall single through the right side. Kutz walked moving Hall to second which forced the Sullivan from the game. After the pitching change, Beltran popped up on the infield and with two outs in the inning Mary Claire Brenner blasted her first home run of the 2011 campaign over the wall in left-center field giving the Beavers an early 5-0 lead.
Murray State added two runs in the bottom half of the first inning to close the gap to 5-2 through one inning of play. Oregon State sophomore pitcher Tina Andreana started for the Beavers for this first time in her career.
The Beavers added a run in the fifth thanks to Hall's third home run of the season giving the Beavers a 6-2 lead. They added another run in the top of the sixth inning when, with runners on second and third and two outs, Cavestany singled up the middle scoring Batayola from third and Lowe was thrown out at home plate to end the inning giving the Beavers a 7-2 lead.
Murray State added a run in the bottom of the sixth to close the gap to 7-3 but could not mount a comeback against Hall who relieved Andreana with one out in the sixth inning. Andreana recorded her first win of the season moving to 1-1 while Sullivan fell to 2-4.
On the day for Oregon State Sanchez went 5-for-7, .714, with a run scored after being inserted into the starting lineup for only the second and third times this season.
Oregon State returns to action Saturday when it takes on Southern Miss at 1:30 p.m. and Northwestern at 6 p.m.
Notes: Tina Andreana started her first game for the Beavers ... Mary Claire Brenner's first inning home run was her first of the year ... Paige Hall's home run was her third of the season, all solo home runs.
