The 2024 softball season came to an end for Oregon State at the hands of Arizona State in the opening round of the Pac-12 Conference Tournament, falling to the Sun Devils 3-1.
Logan Hulon made the start for the Beavers, spinning a complete game for the 11th time this season. Hulon battled with Arizona State batters, punching out a total of five despite letting up seven hits and three runs. Hulon issued three free passes with a pair of walks and a hit by pitch, throwing a total of 112 pitches in the performance with 73 going for strikes.
Hulon's solid performance gave the Beavers a fighting chance, but the Oregon State offense couldn't come through and give the senior run support. Four out of nine of the Oregon State starters entered the game with batting averages below .208, with leadoff batter Madi Simon hitting .208, catcher Abby Doerr hitting an even Mendoza Line .200, and middle infield tandem Kiki Escobar and Savannah Whatley hitting .180 and .170 respectively.
To their credit, Simon and Escobar each recorded one of the Beavers' three hits in the contest. Escobar's hit was the first of the day for Oregon State, breaking up ASU starting pitcher Deborah Jones' no-hitter bid with a flared single in the fifth inning that just got past the glove of Sun Devil's left fielder Samantha Swan.
Escobar's two-out hit would prove inconsequential, as Charity Sevaaetasi would pinch-hit for Whatley in the nine-hole and fly out to strand the second baseman.
The most critical hits of the game by Oregon State both came in the sixth inning. Simon led off the frame with a single of her own and after a fly out from designated player Maddy Clark, Eliana Gottlieb ripped a double into the gap. The swing put herself and Simon into scoring position with just one out and the best opportunity they had had all game to get on the board.
Lici Campbell flew out to deep left field, allowing Simon to come home for the score. It gave the Beavers two outs in the inning, but brought the tying run to the plate in third baseman Grace Messmer. Messmer was able to leg out a ball hit on the infield and scored as an error, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate for the Beavers.
Sophomore Kaiea Higa would pinch hit for Abby Doerr in the spot, representing the go-ahead run. She swung on the first pitch she saw to end the potential rally anti-climactically by flying out to right field.
Hulon would prevent anymore damage in the top of the seventh, but Oregon State would go down in order to close out the game and see their season ended in Palo Alto with a 21-29 record.
It was the last time for at least the next two years the Beavers would wear the Pac-12 patch on their uniforms, having accepted a bid to join the WCC for the 2025 and 2026 seasons as affiliate members while Oregon State works out their new conference identity. The Beavers will be back in action at Kelly Field in the spring of 2025.
Local News
Comments / 0