Rally Falls Short at #17 Golden Bears, 3-2
BERKELEY, Calif. – The Oregon State softball team (22-11, 3-5) dropped a close game Saturday afternoon against the No. 17 California Golden Bears (26-6, 4-4), with a seventh inning OSU rally coming up short, 3-2.
The Bears got on the scoreboard first, putting two runs across in the bottom of the first inning. A single and a walk to start the game, followed later in the inning by a one out single to left field plated both runners.
Oregon State responded quickly, scoring a run in the top of the second. CJ Chirichigno roped a two out single to left and came around to score on the next play when Kori Nishitomi doubled to right center.
California pushed the score to 3-1 in the fourth inning when a double scored a runner who had reached base on a fielding error earlier in the inning.
The Beavers put a rally together in the seventh inning, starting with a leadoff single from Nishitomi. Lovie Lopez followed Nishitomi with a bunt single that advanced Nishitomi to second. Mikela Manewa came to the plate next, dropping down a sacrifice bunt, advancing both runners. The next batter, McKenna Arriola, hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Nishitomi. The rally ended there, with a fly out ending the game and giving California the 3-2 victory.
Bev Miller went the distance for the 19th time in 2015, but saw her record drop to 14-8. Miller scattered six hits and two walks while only allowing two earned runs for the second game in a row. She earned 10 grounds outs compared to five fly outs while throwing 97 pitches.
Nishitomi went 2-for-3 in the game with a run scored and another driven in. Dani Gilmore went 1-for-3 with a walk and Chirichigno went 1-for-3 with an RBI.
The Beavers will return to the field in Berkeley, Calif. tomorrow, Sunday at Noon when they complete the series against #17 California.
