No. 22 OSU Downs North Carolina, Ties Fresno State

Sunday, March 6

Fullerton, CA

9:00 AM

Oregon State

16-4

North Carolina

9-9

Oregon State

North Carolina

Photo by: Dave Nishitani/Oregon State Athletics

March 07, 2016 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Athletic Communications

FULLERTON, Calif. – The 22nd-ranked Oregon State softball team closed out the Judi Garman Classic with a win over North Carolina and a tie with No. 22/21 Fresno State at Anderson Family Field.

Oregon State (16-4-1) finished the Judi Garman Classic 2-2-1, picking up its second win of the weekend in a 5-2 victory over North Carolina (9-9). With a pregame “drop dead” time set for 3 p.m. PT, the Beavers ran out of time in a game with Fresno State (13-5-1), tying at six apiece despite taking a 9-6 lead in extra innings.

“I guess we chose the wrong inning to start hitting,” Oregon State head coach Laura Berg said. “It was about time our bats showed up – they hadn't been here all weekend. We nearly had more hits in the Fresno State game than we did in the first four games (15 vs. Fresno State, 32 total this weekend). We need our bats to play like they did today next weekend.”

The Beavers' matchup with the Bulldogs began at 12:55 p.m. PT, and by rule, once 3 p.m. PT arrived, the scoring of the game must revert back to the most recent complete inning. With the rule in effect, the most recent complete inning ended up as the seventh, and the game resulted in a tie.

A “drop dead” rule is generally necessary if one or both teams are restricted by travel reservations, usually flights. Because today's games were delayed by one hour and 30 minutes, a drop dead time was deemed necessary, and both coaching staffs agreed to a predetermined time of 3 p.m. PT prior to today's game against Fresno State.

The last time the Beavers had a game end in a tie was on Feb. 25, 2001, in a 0-0 game against DePaul that lasted eight innings at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga.

With the tie, no decision was credited to any pitcher. Freshman right-hander Meehra Nelson (10-2) started against the Bulldogs, striking out six while allowing as many runs. The Simi Valley, Calif. native picked up her second save of the season against North Carolina, striking out two over the final 1.2 innings.

Senior righty Bev Miller (6-2) picked up the win against the Tar Heels, holding UNC to two runs (one earned) on six hits with four strikeouts. Miller pitched the final inning of the Beavers' game against the Bulldogs and was not charged with any runs allowed while allowing a single hit with three strikeouts.

Senior second baseman Mikela Manewa led Oregon State offensively on Sunday, going 4-for-4 against Fresno State with a home run and a pair of RBI. Redshirt junior designated player Natalie Hampton drove in three runs on her fifth home run of the season, while sophomore shortstop McKenna Arriola drove in a pair of runs with a double on 3-for-7 hitting on Sunday.

“It's been a long four weeks and you can tell they're a bit fatigued,” Berg said. “We'll take a couple of days off, rest, recuperate and get back at it next weekend.”

Oregon State plays its final non-conference tournament next weekend before Pac-12 play when the Beavers travel to Northridge, Calif. for the Matador Classic from March 11-13. Oregon State opens tournament play against Grand Canyon on Friday at 11 a.m. PT, and faces CSUN twice, Toledo and San Diego to round out the weekend slate.

Game One: No. 22 Oregon State 5, North Carolina 2
North Carolina held an early lead after one, as the Tar Heels' Kristen Brown put her team on the board with a solo home run to straightaway center. Oregon State had the opportunity to score in the top of the first, loading the bases on Alysha Everett and Hampton singles and a Madison Anthony walk, but the Beavers stranded all three on base as the score stood at 1-0 after one.

Neither team put a runner on base for the next three innings, but the Tar Heels loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth before scoring their second run of the game. With two outs, North Carolina was given life as the lead runner reached on a throwing error. A walk and HBP loaded the bases for the Tar Heels' Leah Murray, who singled up the middle to drive in the runner from third. The Tar Heels had a chance for a second run in the frame, but a throw from Jessica Garcia in center cut down the runner at home to hold the score at 2-0.

The play at the plate proved crucial, as Oregon State retook the lead with three runs in the top of the sixth. The Beavers' two leadoff batters, Lopez and Everett, reached on a walk and single, respectively, to set up Hampton, who sent a home run over the wall in left for a 3-2 OSU lead.

The Beavers added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Garcia and Arriola set the table for the scoring inning on a walk and double, respectively, before Garcia crossed home and Arriola moved to third on an illegal pitch. Lopez drove in Arriola on the next pitch to make the game 5-2.

Nelson entered for Miller in the sixth, holding the Tar Heels off the board the rest of the way to seal the 5-2 Beaver win.

Game Two: No. 22 Oregon State 6, No. 22/21 Fresno State 6
Fresno State opened the game's scoring with a two-run home run from Alyssa Villalpando, but Oregon State returned the favor with six runs in the top of the second. Manewa knotted the game up at two apiece with a two-run home run to left.

After Manewa cleared the bases with the long ball, the Beavers loaded them up on consecutive singles from Shelby Weeks, Kayleen Shafer and Garcia. Arriola followed with a two-RBI single to right, while Lopez and Everett both drove in one on a single to give the Beavers a 6-2 advantage after the top of the second inning.

Villalpando added her second home run of the day in the top of the third to drive in two more, while the Bulldogs' Bria Kennedy cut the lead to one with a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the fifth.

Fresno State forced Saturday's tie with a run in the bottom of the seventh. After Fresno State's two leadoff baserunners reached to open the frame, the Beavers made a pitching change, handing the ball to Miller. The decision was effective, as Miller was able to cut down each of the first two batters she faced on swinging strikeouts. However, the Bulldogs' next batter fought off the senior's following sequence of offerings, delivering a base hit to right to drive in the tying run. Following the RBI single, Miller struck out the next batter to hold the score at 6-6.

With Garcia starting on second due to extra-innings rules, Oregon State opened the top of the eighth inning with three-straight RBI knocks, including RBI doubles from Arriola and Lopez, as well as an RBI single from Everett. Hampton kept the string of base hits going with another, but the clock struck 3 p.m. PT directly following her at-bat, nullifying the top of the eighth inning and reverting to the 6-6 tie at the top of the seventh inning.

Due to the drop dead rule, none of the Beavers' stats for the top of the eighth inning will be recognized.

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

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