Late Rally Falls Short Against Utah
CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Oregon State softball team (23-16, 4-10) rallied late Saturday afternoon, scoring three runs in the bottom of the seventh, but fell short against the Utah Utes (28-14, 6-8) by a final score of 7-5. Mikela Manewa, Kori Nishitomi and Natalie Hampton all had productive days at the plate, each finishing with a pair of hits.
The Utes scored first, stringing together four hits in the top of the second, scoring twice.
The Beavers scored in the bottom of the third. Lovie Lopez earned a one-out walk and advanced to second on the next play. Nishitomi delivered a two-out single up the middle, scoring Lopez.
Utah added a run in the top of the fourth on a home run. Bev Miller worked out a jam, stranding two runners and keeping the score at 3-1.
Hampton started a two-out rally in the bottom of the sixth, singling up the middle. Sammi Noland followed with a walk, putting runners on first and second. Hannah Akamine delivered a double to left field, scoring Hampton and making it 3-2.
The Utes were able to string together four hits in the top of the seventh, extending their lead to five runs at 7-2.
McKenna Arriola started the bottom of the seventh with a triple to left field and scored on the next play when pinch-hitter Alysha Everett hit a sacrifice fly to center field. Manewa continued the rally with a single up the middle, followed by another single from Nishitomi. Hampton delivered a two-out double to right center, scoring Manewa and Nishitomi. The rally would stall at that point, with Utah holding off the OSU rally and securing the 7-5 win.
Manewa, Nishitomi and Hampton all finished the game 2-for-4. Manewa scored a run, while Nishitomi scored a run and drove in another. Hampton had two RBI, pushing her season total to 14. Her .659 slugging percentage is second on the team with more than half of her hits going for extra bases.
Miller went the distance for the Beavers, striking out eight while issuing only two walks. She earned her 23rd complete game of the season.
The Beavers return to the field Sunday, April 12 at Noon for the completion of the weekend series against the Utah Utes.
