Oregon State
Cal State Fullerton
Big Innings Give Softball Two Wins Friday
February 15, 2013 | Softball
Feb. 15, 2013
LAS VEGAS - They say that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but it's very likely the Oregon State softball team would be just fine carrying the threat of the big inning beyond its weekend at the Easton Desert Classic in Sin City. On Friday, the Beavers used big innings in both of their wins against Cal State Fullerton, 9-5, and BYU, 7-3.
Oregon State (5-3) took different approaches in the two games, but the results of each fell in the Beavers' favor. In the nightcap, OSU and BYU were deadlocked at 1-1 thanks to a homer by Ally Kutz until a BYU two-run home run looked to put the Cougars over the top. Not so fast say the Beavers. Leadoff hits from freshman Natalie Hampton and Desiree Beltran put two runners in scoring position with nobody out in the seventh. As it turned out, they could stroll home. On the first pitch of her at-bat, senior Lea Cavestany matched her heroics from Sunday with a three-run bomb to right field to put the Beavers ahead, 4-3.
The inning wasn't over. After two outs, second baseman Ya Garcia and center fielder Dani Gilmore each walked and were chased home on an opposite-field double by Hannah Bouska to make it 6-3. A hustle play by Elizabeth Santana forced a bad throw to first base to allow Bouska to score on the error to round out the scoring.
Senior pitcher Marina Demore finally allowed earned runs in a start, giving up three. But she kept the Beavers in the game as the offense felt its way through the early innings. Demore was rewarded for her solid effort with her fourth win in as many starts. She went seven innings, allowing just six hits and walking none while striking out four.
Six different Beavers had hits, with Beltran leading the way with her 2-for-3. Her home run in the first game against Cal State Fullerton highlighted an early flurry that staked the Beavers to an 8-0 lead.
After Hampton drove Santana in for a first-inning lead, OSU broke the game open in the second. Cavestany singled, was sacrificed to second by Garcia, stole third and came home on a sac fly by Kutz. Once again, the inning wasn't over with two outs. Senior Ashley Sanchez singled and Gilmore walked to set the table for Bouska. She singled home Sanchez with one of her three hits in the game. She led an Oregon State offense that pounded out 16 hits and had seven players with at least two hits.
Both Gilmore at third and Bouska at second scored on the same wild pitch. The throw to get Gilmore hit her and bounded away allowing Bouska to sneak in with the second run on a wild play.
Beltran's homer came in the third and was followed by a Kutz single to score Cavestany, who had doubled to right center. Hampton drove home Santana in the fourth to make it 8-0, but the Titans scored five in the fifth to extend the game. Junior Amanda Najdek came in relief to end the sticky situation in the fifth and eventually earn the save.
Sanchez's single to center in the seventh brought Garcia around to provide an insurance run that the Beavers wouldn't require to close out the Titans. Senior pitcher Tina Andreana earned the win and pitched well until the fifth-inning trouble. Her final line showed 4.1 innings, five runs - three earned - and six strikeouts while allowing just one walk.
The Beavers face Idaho State tomorrow at 3:45 p.m. and Long Beach State at 6:00 p.m.
