Oregon State
Arizona
Softball Drops Regular-Season Finale; Awaits Postseason Fate
May 12, 2012 | Softball
May 12, 2012
TUCSON, Ariz. - Junior Marina Demore extended her scoreless innings streak against the Wildcats to 12 1/3 and Lea Cavestany hit her fifth home run of the season in the fourth, but the Oregon State softball team was unable to overcome a trio of late runs against Arizona, losing the third and final game of the series, 3-1, on Saturday afternoon in Tucson.
With the result, the Beavers finish their regular season with a 34-21 overall record and a 9-14 mark in Pac-12 play, the program's best in both categories since its 2007 squad went 41-23 with a 10-11 record in conference.
The team will now await its postseason fate, looking to end a five-year drought and earn OSU's first NCAA Regional berth since 2007. The Division I Softball Selection Show airs on Sunday night, May 13, at 7 p.m. on ESPNU.
Demore picked up right where she left off last night against the Wildcats, who came into the weekend with the nation's 16th-rated offense in terms of runs scored. After bearing down on Arizona in game two with a complete game shutout in a 4-0 OSU win, Demore did much the same in the early going this afternoon. Through five innings she only surrendered four hits while striking out five.
Oregon State took advantage of her steady work in the circle in the fourth when Lea Cavestany hit an opposite-field shot, her fifth homer of the year, to give the Beavers a slim 1-0 edge. Oregon State got a leadoff single in the sixth from Elizabeth Santana, but consecutive fielder's choices and a strikeout ended the inning without OSU extending its lead.
Arizona's offense finally awoke after nearly 13 innings of slumber in the bottom of the sixth when Jessica Spigner hit a solo home run of her own to tie the game at 1-1.
Oregon State couldn't break the deadlock in its half of the seventh and in the bottom of the frame, Arizona's Brigette Del Ponte hit a walk-off two-run homer to send the team's seniors off on a winning note, 3-1.
The Beavers made nine consecutive NCAA Regional appearances from 1999-2007. In its last trip to the postseason, OSU lost its opener in Ann Arbor, Mich. to Louisville, 8-0. Oregon State bounced back to knock off Eastern Michigan (6-1) and the same Cardinals team 11-4, before being eliminated by No. 10 Michigan, 7-0.
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