Weather Delay Erases Late Rally, Utah Takes Game One

Friday, March 10

Salt Lake City, UT

3:00 PM

Oregon State

9-12, 0-1

Utah

17-4, 1-0

Oregon State

Utah

March 10, 2023 | Softball

Box Score

By: Athletic Communications

SALT LAKE CITY – Oregon State's late rally was denied by the weather as the Beavs loaded the bases in the seventh inning before lightning in the area forced the game to be called final with a 6-1 loss after six frames.

Madyson Clark provided the evening's highlight with a home run to right-center, the first of the freshman's career. Unfortunately for the Beavs, the sixth-inning blast was the only offense they could manage against Utah's Sydney Sandez through six frames.

Oregon State rallied late, loading the bases with two outs on a walk and pair of singles in the top of the seventh before the game was called. The stats from the seventh will not officially count.

Tarni Stepto tossed 3.2 innings in the circle, allowing three unearned runs while striking out four. She walked three and gave up two hits.

Stepto dazzled through the first three innings, working around baserunners in each thanks to big strikeouts. The junior punched out four in the first three frames while also getting help from her defense to post zeros.

In the first, Des Rivera caught a would-be base-stealer to end the inning, firing a picture-perfect throw to second and barely forcing the fielder to move her glove to make the play. In the third, Abby Doerr laid out to snag a well-hit ground ball for the third out, likely saving a run with Ute on second base.

Doerr provided Oregon State's first real offensive chance in the top of the third, slicing a double into left-center field with two outs. The Beavs weren't able to drive her in.

The defense struggled in the fourth as two errors combined to help Utah take its first lead of the game. The Utes scored three runs thanks to a throwing error early in the frame before a fly ball got caught in the wind to put more runners on.

The home team added three more in the fifth. Utah put its first five batters on base, scoring two on an Ellessa Bonstrom double and one more with a Julia Jimenez single. Clark's home run followed, but it alone was not able to make up the gap.

The Beavers and Utes are back in action on Saturday with the first pitch of game two slated for 1 p.m.

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