Beavers Split on Opening Day

TEMPE, Ariz. – Junior Dani Gilmore went 5-for-8 with a home run, two RBIs and three runs over the course of Oregon State softball’s opening day, as the Beavers split a pair of games at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. Oregon State opened the day with a 6-2 win over North Carolina State, before falling 6-3 to the San Diego State.

The Beavers got their season off to a great start, as freshman Alleyah Armendariz threw a complete game to earn a win over the Wolfpack in her first collegiate start. Gilmore went 3-for-4 with two runs, while classmate CJ Chirichigno tallied two hits, two runs and an RBI.

Oregon State put itself on top right from the start, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. The rally began with back-to-back singles from Gilmore and fellow junior Ya Garcia. Chirichigno proceeded to drive in Gilmore on a single to center, before freshman Kylie Padilla knocked in Garcia on her first career hit.

The Beavers added to their lead in the second inning, as senior Hannah Bouska led off the frame with a double. Garcia advanced her to third with a single, before freshman Alexis Gonzalez brought Bouska home on a fielder’s choice.

The Wolfpack answered with a run in the third, but Oregon State extended its advantage to four in the fifth inning, when sophomore Christie Langlois opened the frame with a single. Freshman Amee Aarhus pinch ran and stole second, before Chirichigno ripped a triple to bring her home. A sacrifice fly from sophomore Kori Nishitomi brought in Chirichigno to give the Beavers a 5-1 lead.

North Carolina State got a run back on a home run in the bottom of the fifth, but the Beavers sealed the deal in the sixth, when Langlois drove in Gilmore on a single to center.

Armendariz finished the game with five strikeouts, and worked out of several jams, stranding 13 base-runners over the course of the contest.

The Beavers returned to the field roughly 30 minutes later for their matchup with San Diego State. The teams remained scoreless for the first two innings, before Oregon State got on the board with the team’s first home run of 2014. Bouska started the third inning by getting on base, before Gilmore blasted the ball over the fence in left-center to give Oregon State a 2-0 edge. The Aztecs would answer back with a run in the top of the fourth inning to cut the lead to one.

Garcia brought the lead back to two when she launched a solo home run over the centerfield fence. The blast was the first of her collegiate career.

The Aztecs answered back, however, scoring five runs in the top of the sixth inning, on a surge that was led by a two-run home run, as they took a 6-3 lead.

The Beavers had runners on first and second in the bottom of the seventh, but were unable to bring them home, as the Aztecs held on for the win. Junior Melanie Dembinski struck out four of the six batters she faced, making her Oregon State debut in a relief appearance.

Oregon State will return to action tomorrow for two more games at the Kajikawa Classic.

Game Notes

-          Ya Garcia tallied her first career home run against San Diego State

-          Dani Gilmore hit her first home run of the season against San Diego State

-          With her 5-for-8 performance, Gilmore now has a career batting average of .311, moving her past Cambria Miranda into eighth on Oregon State’s all-time list.

-          The win over North Carolina State was Oregon State’s third-straight victory in a season-opener.

-          CJ Chirichigno tallied her first hit, run and RBI as a Beaver against North Carolina State.

-          Chirichigno’s eight assists vs. San Diego State were one shy of an Oregon State school record.

-          Melanie Dembinki struck out four in her first career appearance for OSU.

-          Kylie Padilla notched her first collegiate hit and RBI in OSU’s season-opener.

-          Alleyah Armendariz struck out five in her first career win vs. North Carolina State. She also tallied her first career hit against San Diego State.

-          Amee Aarhus tallied her first career steal and her first career run against North Carolina State

-          Alexis Gonzalez recorded her first career RBI against North Carolina State

-          Kori Nishitomi tallied her first RBI as a Beaver against North Carolina State.