Beavers Top Antelopes
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – Junior Dani Gilmore went 2-for-2 with three RBIs and a run, as the Oregon State softball team defeated Grand Canyon 6-3 in the first game of the day Sunday in Northridge, Calif. The Beavers proceeded to fall to Cal State Northridge 6-2 in the afternoon contest.
Gilmore also walked twice against the Antelopes, bringing her career total to 88, good for third on Oregon State’s all-time list. Kori Nishitomi went 2-for-4 with two runs in the contest, while senior Hannah Bouska went 1-for-3 with a run.
Junior Melanie Dembinski allowed two earned runs and five hits in the winning effort.
The Beavers (9-13) got on top from the very start of the game. Nishitomi led off the contest with a single, before junior Ya Garcia reached on an error. Gilmore proceeded to rip a double to left center to score both runners, and the Beavers took an early lead. Oregon State added another run in the second, as freshman Amee Aarhus plated Bouska on an infield single.
The Antelopes (11-12) cut the lead to one in the bottom of the second, as they scored a pair on a single to center. The Beavers showed their defensive prowess in the bottom of the third, helping Dembinski retire the side. Junior CJ Chirichigno made a nice catch on a hard-hit line drive to start off the frame, before Nishitomi followed her with a diving catch in the outfield to close out the inning.
Oregon State added a pair of runs in the fifth inning to stretch the lead to three. Gilmore and freshman Alexis Gonzalez both reached base to open the frame. After a sacrifice bunt from freshman Kylie Padilla, Chirichigno came through with a single to center to score a pair. The Beavers added another in the sixth, as Gilmore smoked a single off the first baseman’s foot to bring Nishitomi home.
It looked as though the Antelopes might cut into the lead in the sixth inning, as they put runners on the corners, but Dembinski worked out of it to hold Grand Canyon scoreless in the inning. The Antelopes managed to plate one in the seventh, but it was not enough, as the Beavers took the 6-3 victory.
Oregon State could not keep the momentum going, however, as it fell to Cal State Northridge 6-2. Chirichigno paced the Beaver offense, hitting 2-for-3, while Gilmore went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Garcia went 1-for-3 with a run.
The Beavers jumped out to another early lead, as Gilmore hammered a triple off the wall to drive in Garcia for the first run of the contest. The lead was short-lived, however, as Cal State Northridge (13-8) took control with a six-run third inning. The Beavers pulled one back in the top of the sixth, as Padilla brought Gonzalez home with an RBI groundout, but it would not be enough as they suffered the defeat.
Oregon State will open Pac-12 play Friday, when it hosts Arizona State in the Beavers’ home opener.
