Nelsen’s Extra-Innings Walkoff Lifts Oregon State in Comeback Win Over Utah

CORVALLIS, Ore. – For a moment it looked as if Utah would seal the Pac-12 series opener until freshman Kaylah Nelsen delivered a two-out triple to the left field wall in the tenth to lift the Beavers to a dramatic 8-7 win over the Utes on Thursday evening at Kelly Field.

The Beavers (32-18, 8-14 Pac-12) snapped their 10-game losing skid with the victory and looks to clinch the series tomorrow at 11 a.m. PT for Friday's Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage game.

Mazon led the offense with an impressive 4-for-5 performance with a career-best two long balls, four runs batted in and three runs scored. Junior Frankie Hammoude went 1-for-2 with three walks, an RBI and two runs scored, including the game-winning run.

Five other Beavers registered a hit as Oregon State scattered a total of 10 hits on the night compared to Utah's eight.

Mazon earned her 13th victory of the season after coming in for relief in the fifth inning, pitching six frames. She gave up five hits and four runs, walking two and struck out 12 Utes. Sarah Haendiges got the start and threw four innings, allowing three runs off three hits with four strikeouts.

The Beavers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after the first inning led by Mazon and Hammoude back-to-back two-out solo shots.

After a scoreless second, Utah took the lead with a three-run third inning off two hits and a Beaver throwing error. The Orange & Black rallied valiantly in the bottom half, scoring three runs to take back the lead at 5-3. Mazon hit her second bomb of the evening, this time a three-run shot to drive home freshmen Kiki Escobar and Eliana Gottlieb.

The fourth, fifth and sixth frames proved to be a pitcher duels until the Utes broke through Mazon with two in the seventh to tie the game at 5-5, forcing extras.

Utah took the 7-5 lead in the top of the tenth with a pair of runs off a hit and two crucial Beaver errors as Thursday evening, for a moment, looked to end on a downer for Oregon State.

In the bottom half, the Beavers did all their work with two outs. Transfer Harleigh Braswell ripped a single to the left side to get things started. The bases were loaded for Nelsen after Mazon singled to right field and Hammoude was intentionally walked. Nelsen's lone hit of the game proved to be heroic which ignited a jubilant celebration down the third base line.

Oregon State and Utah are back in action tomorrow for game-two of the series, beginning at 11 a.m. The series finale is slated for Saturday, May 14 at 12 p.m. All games are available for free on Oregon State's live stream.

For more information on the Oregon State softball team, follow the club's official Twitter account at Twitter.com/BeaverSoftball, by Facebook at Facebook.com/BeaverSoftball or on Instagram at Instagram.com/BeaverSoftball.

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