Beavers Battle Back, Fall to Huskies in Extras

SEATTLE, Wash. – The No. 18 Oregon State softball team scored two runs in the seventh to force extra innings, but was unable to take the win against No. 11 Washington Saturday afternoon, as the Huskies claimed a 3-2 victory in eight innings.
 
All three games in the series were decided by a single run.
 
The Beavers trailed 2-0 heading into the second, but Grace Messmer hit a solo home run before Madison Simon doubled in the game-tying run to send the game to additional frames.
 
Mariah Mazon went the distance in the circle, allowing just five hits and two earned runs while striking out nine.
 
Messmer's homer was her fourth of the season. Simon and Messmer both finished with two hits in the contest, while Frankie Hammoude and Savanah Whatley tallied one hit apiece.
 
The Huskies struck first on a solo-homer in the bottom of the first. The Beavers got some action on the basepaths in the second with singles from Hammoude and Messmer, but OSU ultimately stranded both runners.
 
Simon started the Beaver half of the third with a single, and advanced to second on a wild pitch to give Oregon State a runner in scoring position with none away. OSU was unable to convert on the opportunity, as the Huskies hung onto their narrow advantage.
 
Washington put a runner on second in the fourth inning, but Mazon silenced the threat with back-to-back strikeouts. Kiki Escobar and Hammoude both reached in the sixth, but again the Beavers could not capitalize with runners on base.
 
Messmer launched a solo shot over the fence in center field to get the Beavers back within a run in the seventh. Harleigh Braswell reached base with one out, and Simon doubled home the tying run to send the game to extras.
 
Washington ended the game with a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
 
The Beavers will return home next weekend for a three-game series against No. 5 UCLA. The first game of that series will take place on Friday at 7 p.m.
 
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Oregon State Athletics strives to Build Excellent Authentic Visionary Student-Athletes (Go BEAVS).