Hammoude Slams Walk-Off Homer, Beavers Take Series Over No. 10 Arizona State

CORVALLIS, Ore. - The Oregon State softball team came back to win, 5-3, against No. 10 Arizona State in the series finale, Sunday.
 
Sophomore Frankie Hammoude highlighted the late-game effort with a walk-off home run on two outs to overcome the Sun Devils' 3-2 lead.
 
"We had a great team win today," said head coach Laura Berg. "I am so proud of the fight they put up. We had a lot of players come up with key hits for this huge win."
 
The Sun Devils scored the first run of the game in the top of the first. 
 
OSU had a chance to tie the score in the bottom of the inning, after freshman Xiao Gin made it to third base, but ASU collected its third out before Gin had a chance to score.
 
Arizona State advanced their lead with a home run in the second inning.
 
Unable to get on base in both the second and third innings, the Beavers left two on base to halt the possible Sun Devil advance in the top of the third.
 
Both ASU and OSU saw a chance to score in the fourth inning. Each tallied a single followed by a fielder's choice but neither team was able to capitalize on having a base runner.
 
With just one out to go, the Sun Devils loaded the bases but senior Chance Burden and freshman Grace Messmer worked together to catch a short fly ball in left field for the final out of the top of the fifth. 
 
Freshman Charity Sevaaetasi and redshirt-freshman Bailey McLaughlin hit back-to-back singles in the bottom of the fifth but ASU collected their three outs to leave them on base.
 
After holding off Arizona State and leaving two on base in the top of the sixth, Oregon State came back to tie the score by the end of the inning.
 
Junior Morgan Allen, a pinch-hitter, notched a double for the final at-bat of her career with the Beavers. Junior pitcher Mariah Mazon added a second base-runner by drawing a walk before Hammoude hit a single to bring in the first run. 
 
Junior Missy Nunes continued the inning with a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third base before Sevaaetasi got on base to load the bases. McLaughlin tallied the second RBI with a sac fly before the Sun Devils grabbed the final out.
 
Tied at two, Arizona State added a second home run, for their third run, in the top of the seventh. 
 
The Beavers did not give up and put together a two-out rally to hold off any additional runs. 
 
After ASU took out the first two batters, Gin and Mazon hit back-to-back singles to get on base. Hammoude sealed the deal with a walk-off home run, a hit that was just barely fair in the left field, to take the win and the series. 
 
Oregon State will return for its final regular-season series next weekend (May 13-15) in Utah. 
 
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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