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Natalie Johnson, at bat, and Paige Lowe score back-to-back singles in the bottom of the second inning to bring the Beavers a 3-0 lead over UCLA. The No. 16 Beavers shut out the No. 14 Bruins with a 7-0 win on Friday.

Beavs tie series with comeback over Huskies

Friday's game against UCLA provides motivation for Sunday rally to overcome UW

By: Samantha Redmond

Posted: 4/16/07

Things were not looking good for Oregon State softball going into the bottom of the seventh inning Sunday. However, a triumphant rally in the bottom of the inning produced a 5-4 Beaver victory in the second game of the weekend against No. 12 Washington.

"Every one is a lift," DeAnn Young said of the win. "It helps us get ahead, just so we are tied in the series with them and not 0-2."

Washington started off the game swinging, with shortstop Ashley Charter's triple down the first base line that would eventually score. The Beavers answered in the bottom of the first when Cambria Miranda ran home for the score after a single and two steals. Miranda's single was one of Oregon State's four hits of the game.

"We use anything," Young said. "We use us getting hits, we use walks, we use hits. You got to do what you got to do - you got to fight."

The Huskies fought back, earning 10 more hits in the next six innings, including a home run in the top of the fourth by Washington pitcher Danielle Lawrie, followed by a huge two-run homer by Dena Tyson in the top of the fifth.

"They are a strong team," TaTyana McElroy said. "Definitely respect them as a team. We just have to compete together as a team and just believe the bats on my team can hit the ball as well and score more runs."

OSU catcher Stefanie Ewing hit a solid single for the Beavers in the bottom of the second, but was out in a double play by the Washington defense. Oregon State continued to play five more innings but could not manage to get on base.

The saving grace for the Beavers came when McElroy was sent in to relieve pitcher Brianne McGowan in the top of the seventh as the Beavers trailed 1-4. McElroy finished up the remaining two outs of the inning with a strikeout and no runners allowed on base.

"We really don't get down," Mia Longfellow said. "And when you are faced with that last chance, you try that extra little bit harder and you give it all you have."

Dani Chisholm's clutch single in the seventh inning started a chain reaction that set the Beaver bats in motion. With Chisholm on first base, Washington pitcher Caitlin Noble hit three consecutive batters - Miranda, McGowan, and Ewing - to bring Chisholm home for the run. Now trailing by two, the Beavers relied on Young to hit a single that would drive both Miranda and pinch runner Kellie Roberts in to score.

With the score tied, Longfellow stepped up to the plate and managed to stay alive while Noble worked her way into a full count. With the final pitch, Noble threw a ball that brought home Paige Lowe for the Beaver win.

"She had been struggling to get a strike in there earlier with the other batters getting hit," Longfellow said. "She was struggling, and I really wanted to make her throw some strikes. And even though she got two in there, that three-two count makes her feel the pressure more than me."

Oregon State was not so lucky in its first game against Washington on Saturday, which resulted in a 3-1 win for the Huskies. Throughout the game, Oregon State's bats had four hits, but only pinch runner Alana Ford - who stepped in for a double by McGowan - managed to score a run on a single from Young.

"We came out a little more tentative than we did yesterday," Ewing said. "We came out with a lot of fight. With UCLA, we were pumped up and ready to go; today we just didn't come out swinging the bats like we did yesterday."

In game one on Friday, Oregon State was dominant over No. 14 UCLA in a 7-0 victory.

"I felt like we played really aggressive," Coach Walker said. "I feel like we played our game and executed very well, we ran the bases pretty aggressively."

The Bruins started off strong with two straight hits against McGowan, but ended the inning without any runs scored. In the bottom of the first, Ewing hit a grounder to third, which drove in Chisholm. The Beavers continued their scoring streak with two more runs in the bottom of the second inning with singles by Lowe and Natalie Johnson, who both later went on to score.

In the bottom of the third, Sherina Galvin hit a single up the middle, allowing DeAnn Young to score. Chisholm, who was later batted in by McGowan's single, smacked a two-run double deep into left-center field, totaling the score at 7-0, where it remained for the next three innings.

"I think the whole defense made really good plays," McGowan said. "They were hitting the ball solid and they were still making key plays. They played really well."

Next weekend the Beavers will play in Arizona, facing off against Arizona on Friday and Arizona State on Saturday and Sunday.