Oregon State
20-4-1
San Diego
9-14
No. 24 OSU Softball Slugs Past San Diego, 11-1
March 13, 2016 | Softball
FULLERTON, Calif. – The 24th-ranked Oregon State softball team erupted offensively to cap an undefeated Matador Classic with an 11-1 win over the San Diego Toreros on Sunday at the Matador Diamond.
The Oregon State (20-4-1) bats struck in four separate scoring innings, plating one run in the third frame, two in the fourth, three in the fifth and five in the seventh. Each of senior second baseman Mikela Manewa, sophomore first baseman Alysha Everett and freshman right fielder Shelby Weeks tallied a pair of runs batted in. Junior third baseman Madison Anthony added another, while sophomore Dacia Sykes accounted for the final RBI in a pinch-hitting opportunity.
“We opened the game letting the good pitches go by, but made the adjustment of hitting the strike,” Oregon State head coach Laura Berg said. “We were swinging at balls over our head or balls in the dirt, but we started hitting the strikes and put together good at-bats, as evidenced by our 11 hits today,”
Freshman right-hander Meehra Nelson (11-2) earned the win for the Beavers in her 11th complete-game outing of the season. The Simi Valley, Calif. native held the Toreros to one run on a solo home run, allowing only two additional hits and a walk with eight strikeouts.
Megan Sabbatini (4-8) was charged with the loss for San Diego after allowing Oregon State five runs (four earned) on three hits and four walks.
Neither team was able to put a runner on base over the first two innings, but Oregon State drew four walks in the top of the third inning to open the scoring on Sunday. With two outs in the frame, free passes were issued to Garcia, Arriola, Lopez and Manewa, forcing in a run to give the Beavers a 1-0 lead and set the tone for the remainder of the game.
“We were a little concerned over the first couple of innings,” Berg said. “We weren't doing so well and had about five strikeouts through three innings, but our hitters did a good job of staying patient and the bats woke up.”
The Beavers added a pair of runs in the top of the fourth, set up by a single by Everett, as well as by her pinch runner Riley Gregoire, who stole second on the next pitch. Weeks knocked her in with a single through the right side, then moved into scoring position on a Jessica Garcia bunt single. McKenna Arriola followed with a grounder that was booted at first base, allowing Weeks to score from second and extend OSU's lead to 3-0 after four innings.
Oregon State padded its lead with another trio of runs in the top of the fifth. All three runs came over a span of four consecutive hits, as Manewa and Hampton opened the frame with singles to set up an Anthony RBI double. With Anthony and Hampton on second and third base, respectively, Everett sent a single through the left side to plate both and make it a 6-0 game.
The Beavers exploded for the majority of their runs in the top of the seventh inning, putting up a five spot to put the game out of reach. Singles from Anthony and Hampton as well as an Everett HBP loaded the bases for Weeks, who put a fly ball in play that was dropped by the center fielder, allowing the first two runs to come across. A wild pitch scored Everett for the third run of the frame, followed by a pinch-hit RBI single from Sykes for the fourth. The Beavers then loaded the bases for the second time in the inning, and Manewa followed with her second bases-loaded walk of the game to cap the scoring at 11-1.
San Diego's lone run came in the bottom of the sixth inning on a Danielle Mavridis solo home run. Nelson scattered the Toreros' other two hits over the seven-inning game, as the Beavers cruised to their 20th win heading into Pac-12 play.
The Oregon State softball team returns to action next weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah, as the Beavers open conference play with a three-game series against the Utah Utes. The series opens with noon PT (1 p.m. MT) games on each of Saturday and Sunday, and wraps up on Monday with an 11 a.m. PT (noon MT) matchup.
For more information on the Oregon State softball team, follow the club's official Twitter account at Twitter.com/OregonStateSB, by Facebook at Facebook.com/OregonStateSB or on Instagram at Instagram.com/OregonStateSB.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Nelson, Meehra (11-2)
L: SABBATINI, Megan (4-8)
Batting:
2B: Anthony, Madison 1
RBI: Manewa, Mikela 2 ; Anthony, Madison 1 ; Everett, Alysha 2 ; Weeks, Shelby 2 ; Sykes, Dacia 1
SF: Weeks, Shelby 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Manewa, Mikela 1 ; Hampton, Natalie 2 ; Anthony, Madison 2 ; Everett, Alysha 1 ; Gregoire, Riley 1 ; Weeks, Shelby 2 ; Langlois, Christie 1 ; Garcia, Jessica 1
SB: Arriola, McKenna 1 ; Gregoire, Riley 1 ; Garcia, Jessica 1
HBP: Everett, Alysha 1
Batting:
HR: MAVRIDIS, Danielle 1
RBI: MAVRIDIS, Danielle 1
SH: MAVRIDIS, Danielle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: MAVRIDIS, Danielle 1
