Oregon State
UCLA
Softball Closes Regular Season With Senior Day
May 11, 2013 | Softball
May 11, 2013
CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Oregon State softball team honored nine seniors prior to its final regular season game on Saturday against No. 15 UCLA, and five of the Beavers' six hits came from that group. Left fielder Ashley Sanchez and catcher Ally Kutz each had two hits to lead the club. UCLA used a seven-run sixth inning to win, 8-1.
The Beavers (33-22) jumped ahead in the first after the first of Sanchez's two singles. After she moved to second on a passed ball, Sanchez scored easily on a double to left by freshman first baseman Natalie Hampton. The Bruins nearly came back with runs of their own in the second, but center fielder Hannah Bouska made perhaps the best defensive play of the season, going fully horizontal to make a brilliant diving catch. The play saved two runs as the catch ended the frame and stranded those two runners.
UCLA (36-19) tied the score in the third on a sacrifice fly after a leadoff single. The score stayed put until the sixth, when UCLA broke the tie with two doubles to start the inning. Oregon State had its own opportunity to take the lead in each of the fourth and fifth innings.
In the fourth, second baseman Ya Garcia walked and Kutz singled, but a pair of fly outs to center ended the threat. In the fifth, senior Elizabeth Santana doubled to left center with one out but was stranded.
It's Sanchez's 10th multi-hit game of the season and Kutz's fifth.
The attention now turns to the NCAA Selection Show, airing live tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. PDT on ESPNU.
