Oregon State
Stanford
OSU Outlasts Stanford in 10 Innings, Sweeps Series
April 03, 2016 | Softball
STANFORD, Calif. – Right-handers Bev Miller and Meehra Nelson combined to hold Stanford to one earned run in 10 innings and junior third baseman Madison Anthony slugged the go-ahead RBI single in the top of the 10th inning as the Oregon State softball team outlasted the Cardinal, 3-2, in 10 innings on Sunday at Smith Family Stadium, completing the series sweep.
Oregon State (24-9-1, 4-5 Pac-12) produced a run with its first two leadoff batters in each of its three scoring frames. After two blank extra innings, the quick-strike offense returned for the Beavers, with the rally sparked by a leadoff double by sophomore left fielder Lovie Lopez, her Pac-12 leading 12th of the season. Anthony, who had the previous go-ahead run on a leadoff solo home run in the sixth inning, followed with an RBI knock up the middle to put the Beavers ahead once again in the top of the 10th inning. Nelson (13-4), who entered in the ninth inning, struck out five of six batters she faced without allowing a baserunner to seal the win.
Sunday's game marked the first time the Oregon State softball team played in a game that lasted 10 innings since May 18, 2013, when the Beavers played 10 innings against Hofstra in an NCAA Regional in Columbia, Mo.
“We just gutted it out,” Oregon State head coach Laura Berg said. “Sometimes it's not going to be easy, so we did a good job of fighting and battling it out. Maddie stuck with it today – that's what makes her game so great. Sometimes you don't do as well at the plate, and the next game you have a day and get the game-winning hit. That's part of this game, and really all of our players did a good job of sticking it out.”
Miller did not factor into the decision despite holding the Cardinal (12-17, 0-6 Pac-12) to two runs (one earned) on five hits and four walks with six strikeouts in her eight-inning start. Carolyn Lee (6-10) was charged with the loss in her start for the Cardinal after tossing all 10 innings.
“The pitching today was phenomenal,” Berg said. “Bev kept them off balance and got them out when she needed to get them out. Meehra came in and just shut the door.”
Each of Anthony, Lopez and senior second baseman Mikela Manewa finished Sunday's game with a pair of hits, with Manewa adding a walk. Sophomore Alysha Everett accounted for the Beavers' other RBI on a pinch-hit single in the fifth inning.
The opening frame of Sunday's matchup mirrored that of Friday's game, as the Cardinal scored first on an OSU error. Stanford's Kayla Bonstrom and Jessica Plaza reached on a HBP and single, respectively, and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Miller rung up the next batter for out number two and looked to have the third out on a ground ball to the right side, but a fielding error allowed the ball to trickle through the infield and bring home the first run of the game.
Oregon State did not pick up a run for the first four innings, but manufactured a run in the top of the fifth inning to knot the score up at one apiece. Freshman right fielder Shelby Weeks set up the scoring frame with a leadoff, stand-up triple off the right field wall, and Everett delivered a single up the middle in her pinch-hitting opportunity to drive her in and make it a 1-1 game.
The Beavers scored quickly again in the top of the sixth inning, this time on a leadoff, solo home run from Anthony. The Cardinal sent the game to extra innings one inning later, as an RBI triple from Stanford's Jessica Plaza knotted the game up at two runs apiece.
The Oregon State softball team returns home to Corvallis, Ore. next weekend to host the Civil War series with the Oregon Ducks. The Beavers welcome the Ducks to The Best College Town in the Pac-12 for a three-game set, with first pitch for the series opener set for 3 p.m. PT on Friday. Game two is slated to begin at 3:30 p.m. PT on Saturday and wraps up on Sunday at 3 p.m. PT.
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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