OSU Softball Hosts Portland State in Midweek Tilt
April 11, 2016 | Softball
Oregon State Beavers (24-12-1)
vs. Portland State Vikings (11-21)
OSU Softball Complex
Corvallis, Ore.
Tuesday | 3 p.m. PT
CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Oregon State softball team closes out a four-game homestand on Tuesday with a midweek tilt against in-state foe Portland State.
Oregon State (24-12-1) hosts its fourth consecutive game in The Best College Town in the Pac-12 at 3 p.m. PT on Tuesday. Tuesday's game against Portland State (11-21) will mark the last game at the OSU Softball Complex until Friday, April 22, when the Beavers open a three-game conference series against Washington.
The two teams split a double header in Portland last season, as the Beavers took game one, 2-1, but fell to Portland State in game two, 9-1.
Oregon State looks to bounce back from a 1-5 start at the OSU Softball Complex in 2016. The previous two games saw record crowds, as 1,012 and 1,155 people attended Saturday and Sunday, respectively. The Vikings are 4-6 in road games so far this season.
Although there will not be a live stream for Tuesday's game, live stats will be made available for the midweek matchup. Links for the live stats will be posted as they are available, and can be accessed through the 2016 softball schedule page on OSUBeavers.com.
Leading Off
- In each of the past three seasons under head coach Laura Berg, Oregon State has set a new record for team batting average, matching the 2006 mark with a .280 team batting average in 2013 before breaking the record in consecutive seasons, hitting .287 as a team in 2014 and .298 in 2015. As a team this season, Oregon State has hit .328, the 19th-highest team batting average in the nation.
- A big factor in the success of this year's Oregon State softball team has been the pitching, highlighted by the play of freshman right-hander Meehra Nelson. The rookie has gone 13-6 with four saves to open her collegiate career and ranks 13th in the nation in saves as well as 16th in strikeouts (156). The Simi Valley, Calif. native led the Pac-12 in strikeouts, wins, saves and innings pitched for much of the 2016 season, and continues to lead in saves while ranking No. 2 in strikeouts and wins as well as No. 3 in innings pitched (121.2).
- Redshirt junior Natalie Hampton has the nation's No. 13 and Pac-12's No. 2 RBI (45) total and is batting .367 with nine home runs and 10 doubles this season. Hampton hit .550 (11-for-20) with three home runs and 15 RBI at the DeMarini Desert Classic, and leads the team in home runs, RBI and total bases (44).
- Sophomore shortstop McKenna Arriola leads the team in batting average (.408), on-base percentage (.479) and hits (51, leads Pac-12). Sophomore outfielder Lovie Lopez paces the club in doubles (12, second in Pac-12), while freshman center fielder Jessica Garcia is tied with Arriola for the team stolen bases lead (each have 11, No. 3 in Pac-12) and fellow freshman right fielder Shelby Weeks leads the club in walks (16).
Student-Athlete Profile
No. 17 Heidi Hall
Sophomore Utility Player
Hometown: Eugene, Ore.
Willamette HS
- A biology major
- The daughter of Penny and Gregg Hall
- Has one younger sibling, Hayden
- Outside of softball, enjoys playing guitar, hunting, fishing and snowboarding
- Favorite sport to watch beside softball is UFC, and is a big Ronda Rousey fan
- Began playing softball at age eight
Beavers in the Polls
- Oregon State has been ranked in the national polls for four weeks, including one week this season with rankings in both major polls.
- The Beavers entered the national rankings following its 14-2 start to the season, entering the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll tied at No. 22. It marked the first time they were ranked since April 2, 2013, when they were ranked at No. 24 in the USA Today/NFCA poll.
- Oregon State was also ranked in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll for the first time since May 13, 2012, where the Beavers were ranked at No. 24.
Caution: The Bats Are Hot
- According to the NCAA, Oregon State is one of the top offensive teams in the nation in terms of team statistical rankings through 37 games.
- As a team, Oregon State is ranked within the top-25 nationally in batting average (19th - .328) and doubles per game (14th – 1.73, 64 total).
- Notably, the Beavers are also ranked 33rd in runs scored per game (6.03, 223 total), 44th in slugging percentage (.491) and 85th in stolen bases per game (1.27, 47-of-55 total).
- Individually, redshirt junior first baseman/designated player Natalie Hampton ranks 13th in the nation in RBI (45) and in RBI per game (1.22).
Full Nelson
- Freshman right-hander Meehra Nelson has helped build depth in the Oregon State pitching staff with a strong start to her collegiate career, sitting at 13-6 with four saves, a 2.89 ERA and 156 strikeouts.
- Through 30 appearances and 19 starts this season, Nelson is ranked 13th in the nation in saves (4) and ranks 16th in the country in strikeouts (141). The rookie leads the conference in saves, and ranks No. 2 in strikeouts and wins as well as No. 3 in innings pitched (121.2).
- Following the hot start to her collegiate career, Nelson was named Pac-12 Softball Freshman of the Week on Wednesday, Feb. 17, and Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday, March 1.
- Following the Beavers' win over Kentucky in her first collegiate start, Nelson helped her case for the first Pac-12 FOW award of the season with wins in starts against each of CSUN and New Mexico in respective complete-game outings. The freshman held CSUN to a pair of runs on four hits and two walks with seven strikeouts, and capped the weekend by limiting New Mexico to a single run on two hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts.
Return of a Record-Setting Offense
- The Beavers return six lineup regulars from a 2015 squad that lit up multiple lists in Oregon State's all-time school record books. As a team last season, Oregon State set the school record for batting average, had the second-most runs scored and RBI in program history, and the fourth-most doubles and walks.
- Oregon State returns many of the players chiefly responsible for those team, as Mikela Manewa placed second on the team in batting average (.338), RBI (37) and walks (26) last year, while McKenna Arriola finished second in runs scored (39) and Sammi Noland led the team in RBI (40) and placed second in doubles (9).
- Under head coach Laura Berg, Oregon State has made many other entries in the all-time record books in previous seasons, including in batting average twice (.287 in 2014 - 2nd all-time; 280 in 2013 – 3rd all-time), runs scored (227 in 2013 – 5th all-time), RBI (245 in 2013 – 5th all-time), walks (179 in 2013 – 5th all-time), home runs (52 in 2013 – 4th all-time) and triples (14 in 2014 – 5th all-time).
2015 Team in All-Time Program Records
1st – Batting Average (.298; broke record of .287 from 2014)
2nd – Runs Scored (300; record is 301 in 2012)
2nd – Runs Batted In (265; record is 269 in 2012)
4th – Doubles (74; record is 88 in 2003)
4th – Walks (182; record is 204 in 1999)
What the Beavers Brought Back
- In each of the past three seasons under head coach Laura Berg, Oregon State has set a new record for team batting average, matching the 2006 mark with a .280 team batting average in 2013 before breaking the record in consecutive seasons, hitting .287 as a team in 2014 and .298 in 2015.
- The Beavers return six lineup regulars from the 2015 team, including senior infielder Mikela Manewa, who finished the season hitting .338, as well as redshirt junior infielder Natalie Hampton, who owns OSU's single-season RBI record (50 in 2013), and senior catcher Sammi Noland, who led the Beavers in RBI in 2015 (40) and is OSU's top returning leader in home runs (8).
- In the circle, ace right-hander Bev Miller returns for her senior season after posting a 15-13 record in 2015 with a 3.64 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 194.1 innings pitched.
- Forming a deep staff along with Miller are junior south paw Taylor Cotton, who tossed 49.1 innings last season, as well as newcomer Meehra Nelson, who joined the Beavers after finishing high school with a 0.96 ERA.
Looking Ahead
- Following Tuesday's game, the Beavers hit the road for a three-game conference set at UCLA. The series opens in Los Angeles on Friday at 7 p.m. PT, while game two is set for a 6 p.m. PT start on Saturday and first pitch for the series finale is set for noon PT on Sunday.
OREGON STATE ATHLETICS' EVERYDAY CHAMPIONS CULTURE
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For more information on the Oregon State softball team, follow the club's official Twitter account at Twitter.com/OregonStateSB, by Facebook at Facebook.com/OregonStateSB or on Instagram at Instagram.com/OregonStateSB.
