Beavers Sink Buccaneers 7-0, Top Hoyas 7-2
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Senior Amanda Najdek threw a complete-game shutout in the first game of the day, as the Oregon State softball team tallied a pair of victories in Southern California on Friday. The Beavers opened the day with a 7-0 win over Charleston Southern in Los Angeles, before defeating Georgetown 7-2 in Northridge.
Najdek tallied eight strikeouts against the Buccaneers, while allowing just four hits and no walks.
Offensively, freshman Amee Aarhus went 3-for-4 against Charleston Southern with a run and an RBI, while Kori Nishitomi went 2-for-4 with two runs. Junior Dani Gilmore hit 2-for-2 with a run and a double, and freshman Kylie Padilla went 1-for-2 with a run and an RBI.
The Beavers (8-11) got on the scoreboard early and often against the Buccaneers. Gilmore opened the scoring, as she singled to plate Nishitomi. Freshman Alexis Gonzalez then loaded the bases with a walk, before junior CJ Chirichigno scored fellow junior Ya Garcia with a fielder’s choice. Padilla brought Gilmore home with a sacrifice fly and Gonzalez came home on a steal to give the Beavers a 4-0 first-inning lead.
Oregon State proceeded to add another run in the second, as Gonzalez plated Aarhus with an RBI groundout to extend the edge to five. The Beavers scored their sixth run in the third inning, when Aarhus brought in Padilla on an infield single.
Oregon State closed things out in the sixth inning. Freshman Alex Boyd tallied her first career hit and her first career RBI, as she ripped a single to center that scored Nishitomi.
Najdek shut down the Buccaneers (10-10-1) from there, and the Beavers took the seven-run victory.
Junior pitcher Melanie Dembinski threw six shutout innings against Georgetown in the afternoon tilt, allowing three hits as the Beavers took the 7-2 victory.
Padilla went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run, while Gilmore went 2-for-4 with two runs. Senior Hannah Bouska went 1-for-3 with two RBIs, a run and a triple, and Gonzalez hit 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI.
The Beavers jumped out to an early lead again against the Hoyas. Nishitomi was the first runner to come home, as she scored on a sacrifice fly from Gonzalez. Padilla then brought two more runs in on a looping single to shallow right field, and the Beavers took a 3-0 advantage into the second inning.
It looked like the Hoyas (7-9) might have a scoring chance in the fourth inning, when they put a runner on first with none out. Dembinski helped her own cause defensively, however, making a nice catch on a hard-hit line drive, before throwing the ball to first to close out the inning with a double-play.
The Beavers brought home four more runs in the fifth inning to take a commanding 7-0 lead. Padilla brought Gilmore home with a single, before Bouska ripped two-RBI triple down the right-field line. Aarhus closed out the scoring for Oregon State, plating Bouska with an infield single.
Georgetown added two runs in the top of the seventh, but the Beavers held on for the five-run victory.
The Beavers will return to action tomorrow at noon, when they take on Grand Canyon in Northridge, Calif.
Game Notes:
- Dani Gilmore walked twice, moving her into fourth on Oregon State’s career list with 86 walks.
- With today’s performances, Gilmore has now reached base in 13-straight games.
- Gilmore’s career batting average rose to .316 today, moving her to sixth in Oregon State’s record book.
- Alex Boyd made her first career appearance and tallied her first career hit against Charleston Southern.
- Alexis Gonzalez and CJ Chirichigno both tallied their first steals as Beavers against Charleston Southern.
- Melanie Dembinski recorded her first career win against Georgetown
- Kylee Crape made her collegiate debut against the Hoyas.
