April 9, 2005
TEMPE, Ariz. - The 13th-ranked Oregon State Beavers softball team (27-6, 6-0 Pac-10) used three home runs to seal an 8-1 Pac-10 win over 17th-ranked Arizona State (26-12, 1-5 Pac-10) on Saturday night at Farrington Stadium. With the win, the Beavers extend their winning streak to 22 games, the longest currently in the nation.
Despite out-hitting OSU 8-5, the Sun Devils were able to score just once, while leaving eight runners stranded.
The Beavers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Cambria Miranda hit a two out, solo home run over the left field fence off ASU starting pitcher Desiree Serrano (10-4).
The Sun Devils had an early opportunity to get the run back in the bottom of the first. Mindy Cowles led off the inning with hard double off the center field fence. Bridgette Caron followed with a bunt single to move Cowels to third. OSU starting pitcher Brianne McGowan (24-2) then struck out Valerie Sevilla for the first out, while Caron stole second. McGowan then struck out the next batter and got Heidi Knabe to ground out to end the threat.
OSU then extended its lead to 5-0 in the fourth inning off a Vanessa Iapala double and a three-run home run by Lisa Allen.
ASU got on the board with a single run in the home half of the fifth. Cowles singled to center field for her third time on base. She then stole second and reached third on a wild pitch from McGowan. Sevilla then took a 1-2 pitch and singled to right field to drive in Cowles.
However, OSU got the run right back as McGowan helped herself, hitting a solo home run over the left field fence off Serrano in the top of the sixth inning.
The Beavers then went ahead 8-1 in the seventh off an ASU throwing error. With runners on first and second, Mia Longfellow put down a sacrifice bunt to Jen McCard at third, but McCard's throw to first went wide and into the right field corner for a three-base error as both runners scored.
Cowles led the team at the plate going 3 for 3 with a stolen base and a run scored. Knabe went 2 for 3 to up her Pac-10 batting average to .444. Serrano went six and a third innings, allowing five hits, eight runs, six earned with three strikeouts. Ashley Werschky pitched the final two-thirds innings allowing no hits.
McGowan pitched the first five innings for the Beavers giving up six hits and one run with four strikeouts. Ta'Tyana McElroy finished the final two innings allowing two hits with one strikeout.
Up next, the Sun Devils and Beavers will square off one more time on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.