Gilmore?s Grand Game Propels Beavers Past Cardinal

Gilmore?s Grand Game Propels Beavers Past Cardinal

STANFORD, Calif. – Junior Dani Gilmore’s third-inning grand slam highlighted an offensive explosion by the Oregon State softball team, as the Beavers defeated Stanford 12-4 in six innings Friday evening in Stanford, Calif.

Gilmore finished the day 2-for-3 with five RBIs and three runs. Her home run moves her into a tie for eighth in Oregon State’s career record book with 25. Fellow junior CJ Chirichigno went 2-for-5 with a solo homer, giving her a home run in six-straight weekends.

As a team, the Beavers set a season-high with 16 hits in the contest.

Senior Baillee Niehus finished the day 3-for-3 with two RBIs and a double, while freshman Kylie Padilla went 3-for-3 with one RBI and a double. Junior Ya Garcia 2-for-4 with three runs and Kori Nishitomi tallied two hits and two runs. Junior Melanie Dembinski pitched all six innings in the winning effort.

Oregon State (17-31, 4-17 Pac-12) jumped out to an early lead, as Niehus and Bouska came through with RBI singles to bring home Gilmore and Chirichigno. The Beavers looked like they might be able to add to the scoring in the frame, but they stranded three runners to keep the advantage at 2-0. Stanford (30-24, 5-18) bounced back in the bottom of the inning, though, to level the score.

Aarhus, Nishitomi and Garcia all reached to load the bases in the second. Gilmore then proceeded to hammer a deep fly ball that looked like it could be a grand slam, but in the end resulted in a long sac-fly, as Aarhus came home. Nishitomi then scored on a passed ball and Garcia came home on a wild pitch to give the Beavers a three-run lead.

Gilmore didn’t miss on her second bases-loaded opportunity, as she smoked a grand slam over the fence in right center to give the Beavers a 9-2 lead. Her four-RBI blast brought home Pepi, Nishitomi and Garcia, as the Beaver took control of the game.

The Cardinal pulled two back over the next two innings, but the Beavers responded with another home run in the fifth, as Chirichigno ripped a solo-shot to dead-center. Oregon State proceeded to load the bases, but could not plate any of the runners, as it carrier a 10-4 lead into the bottom of the frame.

The Beaver offense was relentless, as Oregon State continued the scoring in the sixth. The Beavers loaded the bases, before Niehus singled through the left side to plate Garcia. Padilla walked to bring Gilmore home, closing out the scoring in the eight-run victory.

The Beavers will wrap up their season tomorrow with a 1:30 game against Stanford.