Twitter was blowing up yesterday first when Oregon State's talented softball team bested Middle Tennessee State 4-0 to stay alive in the Tuscaloosa regional. Then twitter blew up again when they eliminated Wisconsin 5-1 (the team that had beaten them 9-3 in their opener on Friday). So now its another daunting task on this Sunday Morning. 11:3Oam pacific on ESPN 3.....they battle the top seed Alabama. They have to beat them twice to become Regional Champs. Good liuck Beavs!!
Here is a detailed look at their situation courtesy of Oregon State Athletics.
With their backs against the wall and needing two wins on Saturday to stay alive, the Oregon State softball team did just that by beating Middle Tennessee, 4-0, and Wisconsin, 5-1, on Saturday at Rhoads Stadium at the Tuscaloosa Regional advancing to the championship round on Sunday.This is the first time since 2012, and the first time in the head coach Laura Berg era that the Beavers will play for a Regional Championship.Shelby Weeks set the all-time record for stolen bases in a single season with 20 on the year, following three stolen bases tonight.Oregon State improves to 30-27 on the season, while Middle Tennessee (39-22) and Wisconsin (29-23) had their seasons come to an end on Saturday.
Game 1 | Oregon State vs Middle TennesseeMeehra Nelson picked up her team-leading 16th win and her fifth complete game shutout in a 4-0 decision over the Blue Raiders. Nelson threw 7.0 innings giving up only two hits while striking out three batters.Weeks was perfect at the plate going 3-for-3 with three runs scored. Senior Alysha Everett added a hit and two RBI, while Hope Brandner and Jessica Garcia drove in the final two runs.The Beavers were on the scoreboard right away in the first inning. Weeks registered the first hit of the game for OSU and two batters later Brandner singled to left field for a 1-0 lead.Middle Tennessee grabbed their first hit in the bottom of the first inning, and didn't reach base on a hit again until the seventh inning.In the third inning, Weeks scored the second run of the game following a fielder's choice from Garcia. Ybarra was thrown out attempting an extra base ending the inning with one runner still left on base.Oregon State's defense stood stout leaving no runners on base for the opposition in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings.Everett added two insurance runs for the Beavers in the seventh frame off a double to left center field, scoring Weeks and McKenna Arriola.
Game 2 | Oregon State vs WisconsinAfter winning their first game the Beavers had to battle the Badgers to make the regional final, after being handed an opening round loss to UW in extra innings on Friday night.Freshman Mariah Mazon threw her 17th complete game of the season in the 5-1 win. Mazon gave up three hits and no earned runs while retiring eight batters, her most in a game since April 8.Scoreless after the first frame Oregon State picked up the go-ahead run in the second inning. Brandner took the fifth pitch of her at bat and drove it over the right centerfield wall for her team-best 12th home run of the year, and a 1-0 lead.The Beavers followed that up with a three-run third inning which proved to be all they needed to secure the win. Michelle Sassbegan the inning with a single up the middle. In the next at bat, Arriola laid down a bunt and advanced to second on a throwing error. That error allowed Michelle Sass to cross home plate, but the Badgers attempt to throw her out at home failed and allowed Arriola to move to third base. The catcher attempted to throw her out at third, but sailed it high for another error and an Arriola run. With the bases loaded Missy Nunes hit her first RBI of the regional scoring Weeks for a 4-0 lead.Freshman Camryn Ybarra hit her third home run of the year in the fifth inning, a solo shot over the left field wall for a 5-0 buffer. The Badgers scored one in the seventh ending the shutout bid for Mazon.
Up NextOregon State plays No. 12 Alabama in the regional finals tomorrow, and needs two wins over the Crimson Tide to claim the championship. The Beavers are 1-1 all time with the Crimson Tide; Alabama holds the longest regionals win streak in the NCAA at 36 games.