Beavers Blank Cardinal, 10-0
CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Oregon State softball team (20-9, 1-3) had their home opener Saturday afternoon, taking on the Stanford Cardinal (14-15, 0-1). The Beavers jumped ahead early and cruised to a 10-0 win to earn their 20th win of the 2015 season.
The Beavers got on the board in the bottom of the first when Dani Gilmore hit her seventh home run of the season, scoring McKenna Arriola who had previously walked.
Natalie Hampton started the second inning with a walk and advanced to second when Alysha Everett singled into right field. Kori Nishitomi reached base on a fielder’s choice when the Cardinal defense attempted to get the lead runner. The Beavers got the first run of the inning when Mikela Manewa reached on a fielding error with all base runners advancing safely on the play and Hampton scoring. Everett scored during the next at-bat, sliding in safely on a wild pitch.
The OSU offense broke the game open in the third inning, scoring five runs on four hits and two errors. Manewa delivered the big blow in the inning, hitting her third home run of the season. Manewa’s shot cleared the fence in right field, scoring Everett and Nishitomi. Arriola continued the inning, reaching base on a Cardinal error before stealing second. Gilmore singled and Arriola scored on the play, pushing the lead to 8-0. Hannah Akamine continued the rally, ripping a double down the left field line. Gilmore capped the inning by scoring on a wild pitch during the next at bat.
The Beaver offense added a final run in the fourth inning to make the score 10-0. Hampton started the inning with a lead-off double before being replaced by Ya Garcia as a pinch runner. Everett singled, advancing Garcia to third, before Nishitomi scored Garcia on a sacrifice fly to left field.
Bev Miller retired the Cardinal in order to finish the game in the top of the fifth, completing a two hit shutout and earning her 12th win of the season. Miller needed just 50 pitches to finish the game, facing only 18 batters.
Gilmore went 2-for-4 on the day, scoring a pair of runs and driving in three. Everett went 3-for-3, scoring twice. Akamine reached base in all three plate appearances, walking twice and hitting a double.
The Beavers will return to the field Sunday, March 22 at 4 p.m. when they continue the series against Stanford.
