Beavers Split 20-Inning Day at Stanford

STANFORD, Calif. - The Oregon State softball team split their 20-inning day with Stanford, Saturday. The Cardinal took game one in the 13th-inning first game with the Beavers winning the second game of the doubleheader.
 
OSU's bats were hot today. Four different players - freshman Madison Simon, sophomore Frankie Hammoude, freshman Charity Sevaaetasi, and junior Chance Burden - notched two hits in the first game with Hammoude and Burden also grabbing two in the second. In addition to the multi-hit batters, juniors Missy Nunes and Mariah Mazon totaled two hits in the doubleheader. 
 
Burden knocked a double down the left field line in the top of the ninth for her first hit of the season. She continued with three more hits throughout the day, with a team-high three RBI in game two.
 
Game one vs Stanford - L, 4-3 (13 inn.)
 
The Beavers allowed the Cardinal to start off with three runs in the first inning. 
 
Both teams went three up, three down in the second and third innings with Oregon State seeing its first single to open the fourth.
 
Simon knocked the ball into left field to start the inning. Nunes followed with a connection to get on base but Stanford chose to go for the force out at second. Mazon drew a walk and Hammoude hit another single to load the bases but the Beavers were unable to take advantage of the situation.
 
OSU saw another chance to score in the sixth inning. The team succeeded with two runs to close the Cardinal's lead.
 
Simon got on base after drawing a walk and Mazon drove her past home plate with a double. Mazon, now on third after advancing on the throw, scored for the second run when Hammoude hit her second single of the day.
 
Taking control of the circle, Mazon pitched, assisted by the defense, for three straight outs to hold off Stanford in the sixth. 
 
Redshirt-freshman Bailey McLaughlin tied the score in the top of the seventh with a solo home run on the second out. 
 
Holding off the Cardinal with another three straight outs, the Beavers headed to extra innings.
 
Both teams left one on base in the eighth and ninth innings but neither scored.
 
In the 10th inning, Hammoude drew a walk before Sevaaetasi completed a double to put runners on second and third but Stanford left the two on base and closed the inning. 
 
Oregon State once again left one on base in the 11th inning and two in the 13th.
 
Strong off the bats, the Beavers were equally as strong in the field, going three outs with three batters in the 10th, 11th, and 12th innings.
 
Ending the longest game this season for the Beavers, the Cardinal notched two hits to score the game-winning run in the bottom of the 13th.
 
Senior pitcher Nerissa Eason and Mazon combined for 12.2 innings pitched with Mazon pitching the last 7.2 and taking the loss. The two pitchers combined for seven strikeouts with Mazon striking out five batters in the six extra innings.
 
Game two vs Stanford - W, 6-3
 
The Beavers started out strong, scoring four well-deserved runs in the first inning.
 
Simon and Nunes opened the game with two back-to-back singles before Mazon drew a walk to load the bases. The next four batters - Hammoude, Sevaaetasi, Burden, and freshman Grace Messmer - all collected an RBI each with their connections. 
 
After a change in the circle, the Cardinal collected the final two outs and closed the scoring gap with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first.
 
Headed into the second inning up 4-2, Oregon State added a fifth run to their lead.
 
Nunes was the first on base in the second after being hit by a pitch with Mazon advancing her to second with a single. Sevaaetasi loaded the bases and Burden drew a walk for the fifth Beaver run.
 
Leaving one base in the top of the third, OSU allowed the Cardinal to once again close the lead to two in the bottom of the third.
 
Up by two runs, 5-3, the Beavers were unable to get on base in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. In each of those innings, relief pitcher Eason allowed the first batter to get a hit but OSU halted the advance to keep the two-run lead. Mazon took control of the circle after two Cardinal batters got on base in the sixth.
 
Oregon State added two doubles - from Hammoude and Burden - with an RBI from the latter to add to its lead in the final inning.
 
Closing the day with a split, the Beavers finished the game with a double-play to win, 6-3.
 
In game two, three of the four OSU pitchers saw time in the circle - the most this season. Senior pitcher Trystan Melancon was credited with the start. She pitched for 3.0 innings, garnering three strikeouts and notching the win. Eason followed with 2.1 innings and one strikeout while Mazon was credited with a save with her final 1.2 innings.
 
The Beavers will close the series against Stanford with a final game tomorrow, Sunday (May 2).
 
For more information on the Oregon State softball team, visit OSUBeavers.com or follow the team on Twitter and Instagram, @BeaverSoftball.
 
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