Beavers Drop Doubleheader to Wildcats Saturday

Saturday, March 18

Corvallis, Ore.

2:00 PM

Oregon State

15-9, 0-1

Arizona

27-1, 1-0

Arizona

Oregon State

Photo by: Scobel Wiggins/Oregon State Athletics

March 18, 2017 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Game One Box Score Game Two Box Score

By: Jeff Schmidt

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Oregon State softball team fell twice Saturday afternoon to No. 5/4 Arizona Wildcats in the opening day of Pac-12 action. The Beavers fell in the first game 6-2, before dropping the second 7-1. The two teams tried playing Friday afternoon, but field conditions pushed the game to a Saturday doubleheader.

GAME ONE
Both teams put runners on in the first three innings, but could not get any across home plate. The Wildcats took the lead in the fourth after they led off with a solo home run to center field. Arizona would not hold the lead long, as Sammi Noland blasted a two-run home run, her fifth season, to left field to give the Beavers the lead in the home half of the inning.

The Beavs would hold the lead until the final inning. The Wildcats put runners on with a pair of singles before a two-out single scored a run to tie the game up 2-2. The next batter cleared the bases with a home run to right center and to give Arizona a 6-2 lead.

Oregon State put a runner on in the bottom of the seventh, but could not get anyone to score.

Five different Beavers recorded a hit, including Stephanie Merwin who hit a double in her first Pac-12 at bat. Noland tallied the two RBI in the game for Oregon State.

Taylor Cotton made her 12th start and pitched 5 1/3 inning before being relieved by Meehra Nelson in the top of the sixth. Nelson hurled the remaining 2 2/3 innings and was charged with the loss after allowing four runs. The pair combined for four strikeouts and walked just two batters.

GAME TWO
Arizona started the scoring in the top of the second after a double to left center allowed a run to score. Two batters later, another single through the left side allowed another runner to score and gave the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.

The Beavers started the bottom of the second with a runner on base after a Wildcat error allowed Natalie Hampton to reach first. Alysha Everett followed with a double to left center to score pinch runner Michelle Sass from first and to trail by one.

Arizona would add to its lead in the top of the sixth after a double to left scored two runs and again in the seventh with three more. The Beavers looked to find the equalizer in the last two frames, but could not manufacture any runs.

Nerissa Eason started the game and threw five innings before Taylor Cotton came in to close the game. Eason picked up the loss after allowing four runs on four hits, while the pair struck out five collectively.

Oregon State (15-10, 0-2 Pac-12) will finish the three-game series with No. 5/4 Arizona tomorrow starting at 11 a.m., at the OSU Softball Complex.

For more information on the Oregon State softball team, follow the team's official Twitter and Instagram accounts at @BeaverSoftball or by Facebook at /BeaverSoftball.

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