Beavers Fall to Utes in Series Opener

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Oregon State softball team dropped the opener of this weekend's series, as the Beavers fell to Utah 3-1 Thursday evening in Salt Lake City.
 
Frankie Hammoude notched two of the Beavers' five hits, going 2-for-3 on the game. Missy Nunes, Grace Messmer and Chance Burden also recorded hits in the contest. Xiao Gin drove in the Beavers' only run, plating Messmer with a sacrifice fly in the third.
 
Mariah Mazon pitched all six innings, striking out four. With the outing, she now has 193 strikeouts on the season, good for ninth on Oregon State's single-season list.
 
Both sides were shut down through the first two innings of play, before the Beavers drew first blood in the third. Messmer and Burden started the frame with back-to-back singles, before Madison Simon walked to load the bases. Gin brought home the game's first run with a sacrifice fly.
 
It looked as though the Beavers might double the advantage the following frame, as they placed a runner in scoring position with none out, but the OSU threat was stranded at third. Utah responded by plating three in the bottom of the inning to head to the fifth up 3-1.
 
Oregon State threatened again in the top of the fifth, as the Beavers put runners on the corners with one away, but both runners were stranded. Pinch-hitter Morgan Allen reached safely in the seventh, as the Beavers looked for a late rally, but OSU was unable to bring her home.
 
Overall, Oregon State stranded seven runners in the contest.
 
The Beavers will continue their series vs. Utah on Friday, as the teams will play a double-header, with the first game slated to begin at 3 p.m.
 
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