Comeback in Sixth Propels Beavs to Win

Saturday, May 6

Corvallis, OR

2:00 PM

Oregon State

14-28-1, 5-17-1

Arizona State

22-24, 6-17

Arizona State

Oregon State

Photo by: Dave Nishitani/Oregon State Athletics

May 06, 2023 | Softball

Box Score

By: Athletic Communications

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Des Rivera's two-RBI single in the sixth lifted the Oregon State softball team to a 7-6 win over Arizona State on Saturday afternoon.
In a back-and-forth battle at Kelly Field where the Beavs (14-28-1) battled back from a pair of deficits, Rivera's three runs driven in forced a rubber match in the season finale.

Ellie Garcia, who pitched the last two frames, picked up the win in the contest. The sophomore (6-8) struck out one, walked two and gave up a hit. Tarni Stepto, the starter, pitched 5.0 frames and fanned seven. The Australian allowed all six ASU runs, nine hits and walked a pair.

Both Rivera and Grace Messmer tallied 3-for-4 days at the plate to help the Beaver offense.

Wasting little time to go on the board, Kaiea Higa's reach on an error by the Sun Devils' shortstop allowed Messmer to cross home for the lead before Eliana Gottlieb's sacrifice drove in Frankie Hammoude to bring the lead to 2-0. Arizona State answered quickly in the ensuing inning – the Sun Devils plated four on just two swings to flip the game in their favor.

Following a Madyson Clark groundout to open the fourth, three Beavs – Abby Doerr, Messmer and Erin Mendoza – all made it on base as the Beavs threatened. A Hammoude flyout to right gave way to Mendoza crossing home to halve the deficit at 4-3. Higa's single in the ensuing plate appearance knocked in Jade Soto, who pinch ran for Doerr, to tie things. The inning's action concluded with Rivera's single that drove in Messmer.

Looking to deliver a knockout punch, Arizona State again used just two hits to take the lead late in the game. In the visiting half of the fifth, the Sun Devils plated their pair off an error and a double to left along the line.

Rivera's single to left brought in Carson Saabye and Kristalyn Romulo for the lead the Beavers would hold onto.

Mendoza helped halt the Sun Devils' chances in the seventh to tied things up when her throw from deep left beat a runner to home.

These sides will meet in a rubber match tomorrow in the series finale. First pitch from Kelly Field is set for noon.

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