Beavers Wrap up Civil War; Head to Arizona
| |
LOOKING AHEAD — The Oregon State softball team (26-21, 4-6 Pac-10) closes out the series against Oregon (28-20, 1-9 Pac-10) on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. before heading to Arizona on Thursday. The Beavers will finish out game two against No. 1 Arizona State (48-3, 10-1 Pac-10) on Friday beginning at 6:30 p.m. before wrapping up the series in Tempe. Then on Saturday and Sunday, Oregon State will face No. 8 Arizona (29-14, 6-6 Pac-10) for the last two games of the series beginning at 7:00 and 12:00 p.m.
TRACKING THE BEAVS — Full results from this week’s games can be found through the newly redesigned www.OSUBeavers.com. Live stats are available for all four games through Gamewatcher. Gamewatcher can be found by clicking on the link found under "Live" on the main athletic website page or by accessing the 2008 Oregon State softball schedule.
GAME 49: OREGON — Wednesday, Apr. 23 (4:00 p.m.): Oregon State took the all-time series record lead on Saturday, Apr. 18, with a 3-1 win to make it 78-77-1, 30-18-1 under head coach .
The Ducks were unable to earn a win in the Bay Area last weekend, losing a single-game in 11 innings to No. 22 Cal before dropping a pair of one-run margin games to No. 8 Stanford. The team lost eight of its last nine conference games with the lone win coming over No. 8 Arizona on Sunday, Apr. 6. Oregon took a pair from Portland State on Wednesday in 2-1 and 7-1 decisions. Sophomore outfielder Neena Bryant continues to lead the Ducks at the plate, batting .378 with 56 total hits, 10 doubles, nine home runs, 24 runs and 41 RBI. She has 19 successful stolen bases on 21 attempts. Oregon’s pitchers have a combined season 2.65 ERA, but in Pac-10 play post a 3.60 ERA, giving up 40 total runs, 33 earned. Sharing the majority of the in the circle, senior Alicia Cook and junior Melissa Rice have 12-9 and 11-9 overall records with Rice tallying three complete-game shutouts and Cook earning four and posting three combined shutouts each.
GAMES 42 & 50: NO. 1 ARIZONA STATE — Friday, Apr. 25 (6:30 and 7:00 p.m.): Oregon State is 26-62 all-time against the Sun Devils after falling in the first game of the 2008 series in Corvallis. Arizona State has won the last three.
Arizona State is riding a four-game winning streak, winning 17 of its last 18 games, including sweeping in-state rival, Arizona, by winning two last weekend after earning the first win on Apr. 9, for the first time since 1988. Junior Kaitlin Cochran and senior Jackie Vasquez lead the Sun Devil offense, both batting over .400. Cochran leads the team with a .457 average with 14 doubles, three triples and 10 home runs, while Vasquez has amassed 63 total hits including seven doubles and a pair of home runs. In the circle, Arizona State boasts a 1.71 ERA, the third lowest in the conference, led by senior left-handed pitcher Katie Burkhart with a 0.83 ERA. Burkhart boasts a 27-3 overall record, 10-1 in conference play, throwing 13 complete game shutouts behind 345 total strikeouts, 105 just in Pac-10 play.
GAMES 51 & 52: NO. 8 ARIZONA — Saturday and Sunday, Apr. 26 and 27 (7:00 and 12:00 p.m.): Oregon State is 10-76 all-time against the Wildcats after falling in a single game in Corvallis earlier this season. Arizona currently holds a six-game winning streak.
Arizona has dropped its last three conference games, falling to UCLA in a single game before losing a pair to Arizona State last weekend. Freshman Brittany Lastrapes leads the Wildcats at the plate with a .378 batting average, .375 in Pac-10 play, with 51 hits and 39 runs. The Wildcats have four players that have hit in the double-digits for home runs with senior Callista Balko and sophomore Stacie Chambers leading the way with 12 each. In the circle, Arizona is fourth in the conference overall with a 1.95 ERA. Senior Taryne Mowatt has carried most of the work, making 30 total appearances and posting a 17-10 overall record, 5-4 Pac-10. She has racked up 272 strikeouts on 183.1 innings of work. Freshman Lindsey Sisk has made 18 appearances for a 10-3 overall record, throwing five complete game shutouts.
LOOKING BACK AT LAST WEEK — Oregon State took the series against Oregon in a 3-1 win at the OSU Softball Complex on Friday afternoon.
Junior and sophomore each tallied a pair of hits of the team’s seven total, while freshmen and earned the team’s RBI with Guzy earning two.
Sophomore pitcher earned her second win over the Ducks, throwing a one-hitter and giving up only one earned run, while striking out 10, holding Oregon to a .048 batting average. Her 10 strikeouts ties her career-high for a single game.
DODGE CIVIL WAR SERIES — Oregon State took not only the 2008 softball series but the overall Dodge Civil War Series, 9-8, on Apr. 18, with a 3-1 win over the Ducks. The Beavers won in Eugene earlier this season in a 7-4 decision. Visit www.oregonlive.com/sites/civilwar to see the full results of this year’s series.
PAC-10 PLAYER OF THE WEEK — After her .538 average performance, 1.154 slugging percentage, freshman was named the Pac-10 Player of the Week for the week of Mar. 11-17. The honor was Roderfeld’s first, first Oregon State honoree of the season and 33rd all-time.
RPI RANKING — Oregon State currently is ranked 73rd in the latest RPI release on Tuesday, Apr. 22. The Beavers continue to inch their way up the rankings after initially receiving a 80th place ranking in the initial release.
POINTS IN THE POLL — Oregon State received top 25 rankings in both the USA Today/NFCA Division I Preseason Top 25 Poll and the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Preseason Poll. The Beavers were ranked 18th in the USA Today/NFCA Poll, while sitting in the No. 19 spot in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll. After going 4-6 to start the season, the Beavers received votes in the USA Today/NFCA Poll, while dropping out of the ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll.
CLUTCH RBI CHISHOLM — Sophomore has come up big on the season in RBI situations, collecting 20 so far on the season in the top three of the order. The left-handed batting slapper also leads the team with a .351 batting average with 53 hits, 29 runs and 62 total bases. Chisholm’s RBI single against then-ranked No. 18 Ohio State helped boost the Beavers to their first win over a ranked opponent on the season.
TWO STRIKEOUT STEFANIE EWING — With 82 at bats recorded thus far on the season, junior has chalked up a low two strikeouts and hadn’t recorded a single strikeout through 46 games. Starting 30 games, the catcher has 18 hits, four doubles, one home run and 15 RBI. The right-handed batter has also drawn eight walks. Ewing’s strikeout number helps the Beavers boast the least amount of strikeouts in the conference with 165 thus far on the season.
MARK ON MIRANDA — Senior was named to the 2008 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List, announced Jan. 30 by the Amateur Softball Association. Miranda is a two-time All-American, three-time All-Pacific Region First Team selection and three-time All-Pacific-10 Conference First Team honoree. The 2008 Pre-Season Watch List is comprised of 50 players representing 34 schools and 14 different NCAA Division I Conferences.
DRAPER GETS ANOTHER YEAR — Pitcher was awarded her true freshman season back by the NCAA after battling injury during the 2007 season. She appeared in three games last season for four innings of pitching, facing 15 batters, and played in one game as the designated player. Draper is considered a redshirt freshman eligibility-wise for the 2008 season.
HOLLADAY HANGS OUT FOR A SEASON — Freshman pitcher will redshirt her true freshman season. Holladay is scheduled for surgery and will rehab for the rest of the 2008 season. She was the 2007 Oregon Pitcher of the Year at Corvallis High School.
TOUGH AT HOME — The 2008 Oregon State softball team is 8-2 at the OSU Softball Complex after winning its home opener against Portland State on Feb. 20. The team was undefeated at home until conference play.
CHASING RECORDS — Senior set a new school record for runs scored on Saturday, Mar. 22, tallying a new best of 148 during the 2008 season and is knocking on the door of breaking more career offensive records. Miranda is 30 RBI, 30 hits, 12 doubles, 10 triples and 14 home runs away from breaking school records in all five categories. She already holds the school records for most runs scored (52) and most home runs (16) scored in a single season.
PAC-10 PREVIEW — Two-time defending NCAA National Champion, Arizona, barely edged out Arizona State in the Pac-10 Preseason Coaches Poll. The Wildcats and Sun Devils both received four first-place votes with Arizona receiving 45 total votes to Arizona State’s 44. Oregon State was picked to finish seventh with a five-vote edge over in-state rival, Oregon. Seven Pac-10 teams were voted into the two top 25 preseason polls with Cal being the only team not receiving top status.
TICKET INFORMATION — Tickets are available for home softball games by walk-up purchase only at the OSU Softball Complex. Ticket prices are $6 for adults and $4 for seniors and children. Admission is free for Oregon State students with valid ID card.
2007 RECAP — In Oregon State head coach ’s 13th season with the Beavers, the program continued to flourish. The Beavers made their ninth straight postseason appearance in 2007 advancing to the NCAA Regional Tournament, ending the season 41-23 overall, 10-11 in Pac-10 play. They finished the season ranked 15th in the nation, having been ranked as high as 13th during the season. Seniors , , , and helped Oregon State to the first Women’s College World Series appearance in school history, one NCAA Super Regional appearance, four trips to the NCAA Regional Tournament and a Pac-10 title. Shortstop Longfellow and pitcher McGowan helped further establish the senior class’ accomplishments by breaking a combined nine records in 2007. Longfellow now holds the career records for at bats (775), runs scored (141), hits (242), singles (192) and stolen bases (57). McGowan finished her career at Oregon State breaking records for the most shutouts (36), wins (100), saves (13) and strikeouts (862).
OSU SOFTBALL COMPLEX — The Oregon State softball complex opened in April of 2001. The $1.5 million dollar complex features 750 bleacher backed seats, a concession and restroom facility, as well as one of the top playing surfaces in the nation. The sunken dugouts each contain a restroom for players as well as large storage areas. The press box facility, one of the best in the Pac-10, allows ample seating for six scorers in the main booth with two smaller television/radio booths located on both sides. A state-of-the-art sound and public address system are housed in the press box. Oregon State has hosted six fall tournaments since the OSU Softball Complex opened in 2001. The facility was home of the 2006 NCAA Regional and Super Regional Tournaments - with Oregon State winning both, and earning its first ever trip to the NCAA Women’s College World Series. Additional bleacher seating was added for the NCAA postseason games and a plan is in the works to add lights to the facility for the 2008 season.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR BEAVER SOFTBALL — Oregon State returns to the OSU Softball Complex to host No. 21 California on Friday, May 2, at 3:00 p.m. before hosting No. 7 Stanford on Saturday and Sunday. Game times are set for 3:00 and 12:00 p.m.
