Oregon State
UCLA
Oregon State's Late Surge Comes Up Short At No. 14 UCLA
March 30, 2012 | Softball
March 30, 2012
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Junior Elizabeth Santana hit her second-career home run for Oregon State, but the visiting Beavers couldn't pull off the upset against No. 14 UCLA, as the Bruins used the long ball themselves to defeat OSU, 8-4, on Friday night at Easton Stadium.
The game started out well for Oregon State starter Marina Demore, as the junior set down UCLA in order in the first. Katie Schroeder hit a liner to left that Lea Cavestany charged and snagged off her shoelaces and Demore then struck out Stephany LaRosa and Andrea Harrison to end the inning. The Bruin duo had only struck out 23 combined times in 199 at bats coming into the game.
UCLA opened things up in the second when B.B. Bates hit a leadoff home run to center field to give her team the early 1-0 lead. A walk and throwing error by the Beavers loaded the bases for Schroeder, who was hit by a pitch to force in the Bruins second run. A single through the left side by LaRosa plated two more to make the score 4-0 after two.
Bates would begin the third with another solo home run to push UCLA's lead to 5-0 before Santana got the Beavers on the board in the fourth. With nobody out and a 1-1 count, OSU's shortstop sat back on an offering from Jessica Hall and smacked a towering shot just to the right of the scoreboard in left field to make the score 5-1. The home run was her second in a Beaver uniform, joining her blast from a 13-0 win over Maine on Feb. 27.
The Bruins would score a trio of runs in the fourth on another home run, this time by LaRosa, to extend the lead to 8-1, but Oregon State would not go quietly. In the top of the fifth Ally Kutz led off with a single to left-center field and, with one away, pinch hitter Mary Claire Brenner followed with a double down the line in left.
UCLA's catcher dropped a third strike with two outs and Hannah Bouska alertly sprinted down to first to reach safely while pinch runner Isabelle Batayola came in to score from third. Santana would notch her second hit of the game on a single to left to drive in Brenner and pull the Beavers closer at 8-3. The junior leads OSU in both average (.357) and RBI (27).
Oregon State would add another in the seventh when Dani Gilmore led off with a double off the right-center field wall. She would move to third on a wild pitch and cross the plate when pitcher Ally Carda was called for an illegal pitch to make the final score 8-4.
Freshman Aryn Feickert threw the final 2 2/3 innings for OSU, allowing only two hits while not giving up a run. She was the only pitcher from either team to hold her opponent scoreless in the game.
Game two of the series will be another one under the lights in Westwood. The Beavers and Bruins are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. tomorrow, Saturday, March 31.
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