Oregon State
North Carolina
Beavers Record Two Blowout Wins To Open LBSU Invitational
March 08, 2012 | Softball
March 8, 2012
OSU 8 UNC 1 Box Score 
| OSU 12 LBSU 2 Box Score
LAKEWOOD, Calif. - The Oregon State softball team opened the Long Beach State Invitational with a pair of blowout victories on Thursday, cruising by No. 23 North Carolina, 8-1, and dispatching the host 49ers, 12-2, at Mayfair Park in Lakewood, Calif.
The wins move Oregon State's record to 19-5 on the season, matching the total number of victories the team had in all of 2011.
The 8-1 triumph over the Tar Heels is OSU's second over a ranked opponent this season, coming on the heels of an 11-3 thrashing of then-No. 20 Nebraska on Feb. 11. It marks the first time the Beavers have beaten two ranked opponents in the non-conference portion of their schedule since 2009. It also is the first set of back-to-back wins (not necessarily in consecutive games) against ranked foes in non-conference since OSU won six straight such games in 2006.
Oregon State pounded out eight runs on nine hits, led by two-hit efforts from Dani Gilmore and Erin Guzy. Ally Kutz doubled to center field in the second to score two and the Beavers would add a pair of runs in each of the fourth, fifth and seventh innings to distance themselves from UNC.
Tina Andreana threw all seven innings and struck out five to earn her fifth win of the year.
Against North Carolina, the Beavers reached base five times after being hit by a pitch, setting a new program record. OSU surpassed the previous high of four, which had happened on six occasions, most recently against UCLA in 2009.
The nightcap against Long Beach State wasn't much closer, as the Beavers bookended the game with three runs in the first inning and six in the seventh to claim another double-digit victory. Paige Hall (3-for-3, 2 RBI) and Kutz (2-for-4, HR, 4 RBI) led the charge at the plate and Marina Demore earned her seventh win with five solid innings of work in the circle.
In scoring 12 runs against the 49ers, Oregon State pushed more than 10 runs across the plate for the sixth time this season, which is tied for second in team history. The Beavers scored in double-digits that many times in both 2003 and 2006. The school record dates back to 1978 when OSU scored 10 or more 11 times in 25 games.
The 12-2 final was also Oregon State's fourth win this year in which the margin of victory was at least 10 runs. The last time the Beavers defeated more than four opponents by double-digits was in 1993 when they did it five times. Kirk Walker's 2000 and 2007 teams also accomplished that feat on four occasions.
OSU continues the tournament with a single game against Pittsburgh at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning it what will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
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