Oregon State Softball Set for Auburn Regional
May 18, 2016 | Softball
2016 NCAA Tournament
Auburn Regional
Jane B. Moore Field
Coverage: WatchESPN/SEC Network+
Friday | 1:30 p.m. PT (3:30 p.m. CT)
Oregon State Beavers
(30-18-1, 9-14 Pac-12)
vs. USC Upstate Spartans
(42-13, 11-6 Atlantic Sun)
Friday | 4 p.m. PT (6 p.m. CT)
Auburn Tigers
(49-9, 16-7 SEC)
vs. Jacksonville State Gamecocks
(41-15, 26-0 Ohio Valley)
CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Oregon State softball team is set to compete in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013, as the Beavers begin their postseason campaign this weekend at the Auburn Regional.
All games played at the Auburn Regional will take place at Jane B. Moore Field. The Beavers (30-18-1, 9-14 Pac-12) open regional play on Friday with a 1:30 p.m. PT (3:30 p.m. CT) matchup with the USC Upstate Spartans (42-13, 11-6 Atlantic Sun).
The winner will play the victor of the 4 p.m. PT (6 p.m. CT) game between the Auburn Tigers (49-9, 16-7 SEC) and the Jacksonville State Gamecocks (41-15, 26-0 Ohio Valley), with first pitch in the winners' bracket set for 11:30 a.m. PT (1:30 p.m. CT) on Saturday. An elimination game will be played between the losing teams at 2 p.m. PT (4 p.m. CT) on Saturday.
The entirety of the Auburn Regional will be covered live by SEC Network+ and is available via WatchESPN. Tiffany Greene will have the call for this weekend's action, while Jenny Dalton-Hill will serve as the analyst.
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
- Oregon State finished the regular season 30-18-1 overall and 9-14 in Pac-12 play. By winning percentage, the Beavers finish with their winningest regular season since 2007 (.622 in 2016, .650 in 2007).
- 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. Oregon State is on pace to break that record again, hitting .310 as a team.
- 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. A top-25 finalist for the Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year, Nelson has gone 16-8 with seven saves to open her collegiate career and ranks fifth in the nation in saves as well as 32nd in strikeouts (196). The Simi Valley, Calif. native leads all Pac-12 freshmen in six significant categories, including strikeouts, innings pitched (160.2), batting average against (.193), saves, batters struck out looking (64) and total appearances (40).
- Redshirt junior Natalie Hampton has the Pac-12's No. 7 RBI total (47) and is batting .342 with nine home runs and 10 doubles this season from the cleanup spot in the lineup. Hampton hit .550 (11-for-20) with three home runs and 15 RBI at the DeMarini Desert Classic, her top weekend of the season.
- Sophomore shortstop McKenna Arriola has started every game this season in the leadoff spot in the lineup, and leads the team with a .370 batting average. She also leads the team in runs scored (34), on-base percentage (.443) and hits (60).
- Sophomore outfielder Lovie Lopez ranks second in Pac-12 with a team-high 13 doubles while freshman center fielder Jessica Garcia is tied with Arriola for the team stolen bases lead (each have 11, ranked No. 7 in Pac-12). Fellow freshman right fielder Shelby Weeks leads the club in walks (19) and ranks second on the team with a .345 batting average.
Oregon State Records Top Regular Season Since 2007
- The Oregon State softball team finished the 2016 regular season with a 30-18-1 record, compiling a winning percentage of .622. The 2016 team's winning percentage accounts for the program's best at the end of a regular season since 2007, when the Beavers went 39-21 for a .650 winning percentage.
- Since 2007, the Beavers' top regular seasons by winning percentage have come with Berg at the helm. Berg went 33-22 (.600) in her first year as head coach of the Beavers in 2013, and was an assistant coach in 2012, when the Beavers finished the regular season at 34-21 (.618).
Nelson Breaks OSU Single-Season Saves Record
- With a save on Friday, May 14 against Arizona State, freshman right-hander Meehra Nelson picked up her seventh save in 2016, setting a new Oregon State single-season record. She broke a previous tie at six with three others - Paige Hall in 2012, Monica Hoffman in 2004 and Tarrah Beyster in 1999.
- Nelson's seven saves also rank as the fourth-most in a career at Oregon State. The career record is held by former All-American Brianne McGowan, who had 13 saves from 2004-07.
Record Watch
- Redshirt junior first baseman Natalie Hampton currently has the second-most RBI in a single season in OSU history (48). Hampton set the record with 50 in 2013, her freshman season.
- Hampton has 30 home runs for her career, the eighth-most in OSU history. The school record for most home runs in a career is 52 by Tarrah Beyster (1997-00).
- Freshman righty Meehra Nelson is up to 196 strikeouts in her freshman campaign, which ranks as the eighth-most in a single season in program history. Brianne McGowan holds the single-season record, as she struck out 346 in 2005.
- Sophomore outfielder Lovie Lopez has slugged 13 doubles this season, tying Natalie Hampton (2013) and Vanessa Iapala (2003) for the 10th-most in a season in program history. The school record is 17 doubles, which has been reached by each of Clare Burnum (2002) and Jodi Chmielewski (1999).
- Sophomore shortstop McKenna Arriola is batting .370 in 2016, just shy of the 10th-highest batting average in a single season in program history. The record was set in 1978 by Denise Small, who hit .507.
Beavers Reach NCAA Tournament for Second Time under Berg
- The 2016 season, one of the most successful in recent history, marks the second time the Beavers have reached the NCAA Tournament under fourth-year head coach Laura Berg as well as the 11th time in program history. Oregon State last reached the NCAA Tournament in 2013, Berg's first year as head coach.
- The Beavers also reached the tournament in Berg's first year as an assistant coach in 2012. Before 2012, the Beavers had not reached the tournament since 2007.
- Berg and former head coach Kirk Walker (1995-2012) are the only head coaches in program history to reach the NCAA Tournament.
Hampton Named Academic All-District
- Redshirt junior first baseman Natalie Hampton is putting together one of the top RBI-producing seasons in program history, but her success is not just limited to the classroom. Hampton was selected Academic All-District by CoSIDA on May 5.
- Hampton, a native of Antelope, Calif., is enjoying a successful academic campaign off the field, compiling a stalwart 3.34 grade-point average in fisheries and wildlife sciences at Oregon State.
Berg Reaches 100-Win Milestone
- With a 15-1, five-inning win over Stanford on April 1, head coach Laura Berg picked up the 100th win of her career. Berg, USA Softball's only four-time Olympian, currently sits at 108-99-1 in her four years as head coach of the Beavers.
- Berg racked up 34 wins in her first year as head coach at Oregon State, the most victories record by a first-year head coach in program history. Berg's current total of 108 wins also makes her the winningest coach through four seasons in school history.
Caution: The Bats Are Hot
- According to the NCAA, Oregon State is among the top offensive teams in the nation in terms of team statistical rankings through its regular season games.
- As a team, Oregon State is highly ranked in doubles per game (40th – 1.51, 74 total), triples per game (35th – 0.24, 12 total), batting average (49th - .310), runs scored per game (69th - 5.31, 260 total) and slugging percentage (64th - .463).
- Individually, redshirt junior first baseman/designated player Natalie Hampton ranks No. 63 in the nation and No. 7 in the Pac-12 in RBI per game (0.98, 48 total).
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 16-8 with a school-record seven saves, a 2.96 ERA and 196 strikeouts, the most of any freshman in power conferences and second amongst all freshmen nationally.
- Nelson was one of 25 finalists for the Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Player of the Year. She is the only student-athlete to make the list from the Pac-12, and was one of seven pitchers amongst the finalists.
- Through 40 appearances and 23 starts this season, Nelson is ranked fifth in the nation in saves (7) and ranks 25th in the country in strikeouts (196). The rookie leads the conference in saves, and ranks No. 2 in strikeouts and No. 3 in innings pitched (160.2).
- She leads all Pac-12 freshmen in each of those categories, as well as in batters struck out looking (64), batting average against (.193) and appearances (40).
- 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.
Berg Named USA Junior National Team Head Coach
- On Wednesday, March 2, it was announced that Oregon State head softball coach Laura Berg was selected as the head coach for the 2017 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team by the Amateur Softball Association of America and USA Softball.
- Berg is one of the most decorated Olympians across all team sports, as she hold the distinction of being USA Softball's only four-time Olympian. Berg will lead the USA Softball JWNT at the World Baseball Softball Confederation Junior Women's World Championship, slated to be held in Clearwater, Fla. in July of 2017.
- Before earning the USA Softball JWNT head coaching gig, Berg served as an assistant coach for the USA Softball Women's National Team for four seasons, as well as one season (2013) as an assistant with the JWNT.
Miller Earns Play It Forward Award for January
- Senior right-hander Bev Miller was recognized for outstanding achievements off the field this season, as she was the recipient of the Oregon Sports Awards' Play It Forward Award for the month of January 2016. The award is presented to one collegiate male and female athlete per month.
- To be eligible for the Play It Forward Award, prospective recipients must be involved with an athletic team at their institution, spend at least an average of four community volunteer hours per month with an organization or program that assists youths in being active through sports or physical activity, as well as demonstrate initiative and drive by going beyond expected school responsibilities.
- Miller, a native of Portland, Ore., is an outstanding student and majors in bioengineering. Miller served as a volunteer coach with the Lady Knights, a local 12 and under softball team, with an emphasis on teaching teamwork and training for softball.
- The Oregon Sports Awards called Miller “one of OSU's best representatives in helping youths understand the value of physical activity and literacy,” and lauded her as “usually the first to volunteer and bring other athletes along to serve as role models in sports.”
Arriola Wins Gold with USA Softball Junior Women's National Team
- Head coach Laura Berg isn't the only member of the Oregon State softball program to be involved with USA Softball. Sophomore shortstop McKenna Arriola competed as a member of the program at the 2015 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Junior Women's World Championship (JWWC), where the team took home its fifth gold medal all-time.
- Arriola suited up in four games for the Stars and Stripes, posting a .500 on-base percentage over that span with four runs scored and an RBI.
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 aren't ranked by either major poll this week, but rank No. 24 in the NCAA RPI. Last week, the Beavers have been ranked as high as No. 23 in the RPI.
- The Beavers are receiving votes in this week's USA Today/NFCA poll.
- 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.
Senior Profiles
No. 9 Bev Miller
Senior Right-Handed Pitcher
Hometown: Portland, Ore.
Sunset HS/Monterrey Peninsula JC
- A bioengineering major
- The daughter of Les and Sue Miller
- Has four siblings, Desiree, Ben, Anna and Glenn
- Her favorite sporting events to attend at OSU outside of softball are gymnastics meets
- Started playing T-ball at age four and began pitching at age seven
- One of her inspirations for playing softball was that she looked up to her older sister Anna, who also played softball
- Her gameday superstitions include always wearing a visor
No. 12 Mikela Manewa
Senior Second Baseman
Hometown: Kapolei, Hawai'i
Kapolei HS/C. of Southern Nevada
- Majoring in public health
- The daughter of Mikel and Randy Manewa
- Has two brothers, Randy III and Micah
- Despite being a public health major, she says she eats a lot of junk food
- Began playing softball at age five
- Her favorite sporting events to attend outside of softball are football games
- Says her jersey No. 12 is a family number, and looks up to a cousin that wore it
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.
OREGON STATE ATHLETICS' EVERYDAY CHAMPIONS CULTURE
- Through the power of sport, we help people discover and pursue their passions, talents and purpose in order to live a life of balance and positive contribution.
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.
