Oregon State
16-7
Nebraska
8-11
Beavers Top Huskers; Fall to Buckeyes on Day Two
March 06, 2020 | Softball
Tempe, Ariz. – Oregon State softball splits action on the second day of the ASU Invitational to move to 16-8 on the season.
The Beavers outlasted the Huskers in seven innings to pick up a 4-3 victory before dropping the second game of the day to Ohio State, 3-0.
Vs. Nebraska
Oregon State's bats started the same way they ended the night before: on fire. Xiao Gin drew a walk with only one out allowing Mariah Mazon to smash a two-run homer over left-center fence giving OSU an early 2-0 lead.
Freshman Grace Messmer reached first on a throwing and advanced to third when Fallon Molnar knocked a single into left field. Molnar advanced to second on the throw into the infield to put runners on second and third when Izzy Owen ripped triple into right field scoring both Messmer and Molnar. After the top of the first, OSU led 4-0.
Nebraska got one back in the bottom half of the inning off a solo-home run, but Oregon State led 4-1 after one.
The Huskers struck again in the bottom of the fifth after getting a runner on early that led to a two-run homer to be hit with only one out. Mazon was able to pick up a strikeout getting a batter looking, but the inning ended with Nebraska trailing by only one, 4-3.
OSU attempted to add a couple runs in the top of the sixth after junior Morgan Allen drew a walk and Owen singled to put runners on first and second. Bailey McLaughlin pinch hit for Maia Rader with two outs and drew a walk to load the bases. Despite getting runners on, OSU couldn't convert any into runs.
Nebraska got a runner on early again in the bottom of the sixth and had runners on first and second with only one out. Oregon State's defense came up big with a 1-5-3 double play to end the inning and maintain the 4-3 lead heading into the seventh.
Mazon was able to get on in the top of the seventh with a single up the middle, but the Beavers left her stranded to head to the bottom of the inning leading, 4-3.
OSU sealed the victory with Mazon only throwing three pitches in the bottom of the seventh forcing the Huskers to line out to Messmer and Rader before flying out to Ivana Perez in left field.
Mazon picked up eight strikeouts and improves to 10-5 on the season. She has 124 strikeouts on the season (431 career) and maintains a 0.86 ERA through 18 appearances.
Vs. Ohio State
In the second game of the day, the Buckeyes jumped out to the early 1-0 lead hitting a solo-home run over the right field fence in the bottom of the first inning.
Oregon State made efforts to get on the board in the second and third innings with Messmer singling in the second and Phillips doing the same in the third, but the Beavers left both stranded.
Ohio State looked to score again in the bottom of the fourth after it began the inning with a walk. The next batter hit a bunt and was able to reach first while advancing the runner to second. Senior Trystan Melancon got the first out of the inning when she struck out the batter looking, but that was followed with a walk to load the bases. The Beaver defense held strong and escaped the inning without any damage down after Messmer caught a pop-up and Melancon picked up another strikeout to end the inning.
The Buckeyes did double the lead in the bottom of the fifth with batters hitting back-to-back singles with only one out. Both runners were able to advance a base off a wild pitch and one of those was brought in off a sac fly before the inning ended. Oregon State trailed 2-0 after five.
The Beavers made a pitching change heading into the bottom of the sixth inning to bring in senior Nerissa Eason. Eason struck out the first batter of the inning. Ohio State drew a walk to get a runner on that was able to steal second. The runner scored when a single broke through the right side to give the Buckeyes a 3-0 lead after six that held through the seventh inning.
Melancon pitched 5.0 innings and finished with six strikeouts as she falls to 5-3 on the season. Eason pitched 1.0 inning and finished with one strikeout.
Up Next:
Oregon State battles New Mexico State tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m. PT on the third day of the ASU Invitational.
For more information on the Oregon State softball team, visit OSUBeavers.com or follow the team @BeaverSoftball on Twitter and Instagram.
OUR MISSION
Oregon State Athletics strives to Build Excellent Authentic Visionary Student-Athletes (Go BEAVS).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Mazon, Mariah (10-5)
L: Lindsey Walljasper (4-4)
Batting:
3B: Owen, Izzy 1
HR: Mazon, Mariah 1
RBI: Mazon, Mariah 2 ; Owen, Izzy 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Gin, Xiao 1 ; Mazon, Mariah 1 ; Messmer, Grace 1 ; Molnar, Fallon 1
Batting:
HR: Tristen Edwards 2
RBI: Tristen Edwards 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Tristen Edwards 2 ; Peyton Glatter 1
HBP: Rylie Unzicker 1
