Oregon State
Arizona State
Beltran and Gilmore Homer as No. 23 Softball Falls Just Short
March 28, 2013 | Softball
March 28, 2013
TEMPE, Ariz. – The 23rd-ranked Oregon State softball team nearly mounted a comeback from four runs behind Thursday night, but it fell just short as No. 2 Arizona State held on for a 5-4 victory at Farrington Stadium in the Beavers' first Pac-12 game of the season.
The Sun Devils (32-3, 3-1) posted three runs in the second inning and another in the third to jump out to a 4-0 lead. The Beavers responded in their half of the fourth as senior Desiree Beltran sent a ball screaming out to dead center to cut the deficit in half. Senior Lea Cavestany scored after being hit by a pitch one batter earlier.
Arizona State hit its second homer of the game in the bottom of the fifth to extend its lead to 5-2. Down to its final three outs, Oregon State (23-7, 0-1) got a leadoff single through the left side from second baseman Ya Garcia. Sophomore Dani Gilmore followed with her sixth home run of the season on a 1-2 pitch to cut the ASU lead to 5-4. The Beavers could get no closer, however, as they were unable to resurrect the rally after Gilmore's long ball.
Senior Elizabeth Santana extended her team-leading hitting streak to nine games with her first inning infield single. Gilmore led the Beavers with two hits. Senior pitcher Marina Demore suffered the loss, allowing five runs, three of which were earned, while striking out two in six innings of work.
The Beavers and Sun Devils play game two of the three-game series tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m.
