Beavers Battle, Fall in Extra Innings

Sunday, March 12

Salt Lake City, UT

11:00 AM

Oregon State

9-14, 0

Utah

19-4, 0

Oregon State

Utah

March 12, 2023 | Softball

Box Score

By: Athletic Communications

SALT LAKE CITY – Oregon State battled for 10 innings, forcing extras with a comeback in the seventh, but fell 6-5 on a walk-off double in Sunday's series finale against Utah.

The heartbreaker concludes a hard-fought series between the two teams. Oregon State fell one run short of a comeback win on Saturday and had the bases loaded in the seventh on Friday before weather wiped away a possible rally.

Des Rivera went 2-for-3 with two doubles and two runs. Frankie Hammoude hit a 10th inning home run to cap a 1-for-4 day at the plate for the Beavs' cleanup hitter.

In the circle, Tarni Stepto tossed 5.2 innings with seven strikeouts while allowing two earned runs. She gave up four hits, keeping the Utes off the bases for much of the game.

The first three innings of Sunday's game were a full-on pitcher's duel. On one side, Stepto struck out four Utes while refusing to allow a baserunner in the first three frames. On the other, Utah's Sarah Ladd allowed just one Beavs to reach base with none advancing past second base.

The Utes broke the deadlock in the fourth, as Aliya Belarde deposited Utah's first hit of the day beyond the right field wall to go up 1-0.

The Beavers answered immediately. Rivera doubled to left field to open the inning before ceding second base to pinch-runner Jade Soto. Eliana Gottlieb didn't give Soto much time to get her bearings, lacing a single into left-center that sent the punch-runner scampering home to even the score.

Utah responded in the bottom of the sixth. The Utes used two singles and an HBP to pull ahead 2-1 heading into the seventh.

Rivera came through again in the clutch. The sophomore doubled to right field, putting the tying run on second base with just one out. After a walk and an out, Abby Doerr blasted a double over the right fielder's head. The two-bagger scored both runners and putting the Beavs up 3-2. Grace Messmer drove in Doerr for a crucial insurance run two batters later and OSU led 4-2.

The Utes refused to go away in the bottom of the inning, capitalizing on Beaver miscues – two walks, a wild pitch and an error – to knot the game at four. Utah nearly sent the game-winning run home, but Ellie Garcia got the inning's final batter to fly out.

After scoreless frames in the eighth and ninth, the Beavs got on the board in the tenth. Hammoude blasted her fifth home run of the year to right-center, putting OSU up 5-4.

The Utes battled back however, with a double and single putting runners on second and third for Ellessa Bonstrom. The no. 3 hitter doubled to left-center, scoring both to win the game for Utah.

Oregon State returns to Corvallis for its home opener on Friday against California.

OUR MISSION
Oregon State Athletics strives to Build Excellent Authentic Visionary Student-Athletes (Go BEAVS).