Late Homers Lift Beavers Over No. 21 ASU

TEMPE, Ariz. - Senior Dani Gilmore hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning to lift Oregon State to a 7-6 win over No. 21 Arizona State Friday evening in Tempe, Ariz. 

The Beavers (24-17, 5-11 Pac-12) trailed 6-4 heading into the sixth inning, before senior CJ Chirichigno hit a solo homer to bring Oregon State within one. Freshman McKenna Arriola singled to open the seventh, before Gilmore ripped a line drive over the wall in left to give the Beavers the lead. Freshman Rainey Dyreson, who entered the circle in the bottom of the sixth inning, proceeded to close out the seventh inning to earn her fourth win of the year.

Junior Sammi Noland recorded a hit and two RBIs in the contest, and capped off her evening with an outstanding defensive play to prevent a Sun Devil player from stretching a single into a double. Fellow junior Mikela Manewa ended the day with a hit, an RBI and a run scored.

Arriola tallied a pair of hits, while fellow freshmen Alysha Everett and Lovie Lopez finished with one hit and one run apiece, as seven Beavers tallied a hit in the contest.

Senior Hannah Akamine came close to putting the Beavers on the board in the top of the second, when she hit a fly ball to deep left field. The ball was caught just inches short of leaving the yard, however, and the teams went to the third inning scoreless.

The Beavers got a rally going in the top of the third, as they batted around in the frame en-route to a four-run lead. Everett started things off with a walk, before Lopez ripped a single through the right side. The Beavers came within inches of homering for the second time on the evening, as junior Mikela Manewa lined a single off the top of the wall to plate Everett. Arriola loaded the bases with a single, and Gilmore followed that up with an RBI fielder's choice. Noland proceeded to fire a single down the left-field line, scoring two more, as the Beavers took a 4-0 lead.

Arizona State (27-16, 5-7) bounced back in the bottom of the third, using a pair of home runs to level the score at four runs apiece. The Sun Devils added another pair in the fifth to take a 6-4 advantage into the sixth inning.

Chirichigno's 6th-inning solo-homer put the Beavers within a run, as she ripped one way over the fence in left field. Gilmore followed that up with her two-run shot to give the Beavers the win.

The Beavers are back in action Saturday evening, when they return to Farrington Stadium for game two of the weekend series. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.