Solo Home Run Lifts No. 7 Oregon State Past UNLV

The Beavers (3-1) opened the game strong, scoring four runs in the first inning.

Photo: OSU Athletics

LAS VEGAS - Freshman catcher Tarah Black belted a solo home run to lead-off the seventh inning and lift the No. 7 ranked Oregon State softball team to a 6-5 victory over UNLV on Thursday night at the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic.

Black’s home run came in her first collegiate at-bat, sailing over the left field fence to push the Beavers in front.

“Tarah had an excellent performance for us behind the plate and she was extremely impressive in her first career at-bat – winning the game for us with a ball that went close to 250-feet,” said OSU head coach Kirk Walker.

UNLV (5-1) had the game-tying run reach base in the bottom of the seventh after a lead-off double, but Oregon State senior pitcher Brianne McGowan (2-1) picked up her sixth strikeout to end the game.

The Beavers (3-1) opened the game strong, scoring four runs in the first inning helped in part by a two-run home run by sophomore first baseman DeAnn Young.

The blast over the centerfield fence was the second of the season for Young and her ninth career long ball.

The Rebels responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the first and after Cambria Miranda’s groundout scored freshman Dani Chisholm in the Beavers’ half of the second inning, UNLV knotted the score at 5-5 behind a four-run fifth.

“It was a little disappointing to come out so strong in the first inning but then to allow UNLV to stay in the game,” said Walker. “We’ll definitely take the win and use this as a learning experience.”

Beaver centerfielder Natalie Johnson continued her torrid hitting, finishing the game with a 3-for-4 effort from the plate to give her a season batting average of .818 (9-for-11).

Senior shortstop Mia Longfellow chipped in two hits and scored a run.

McGowan became just the third player in Oregon State history to record 700 career strikeouts – Monica Hoffman (774) and Crystal Draper (809) are the others.

With her six K’s in the game, the Reno, NV native upped her career total to exactly 700.

OSU will face BYU on Friday at noon and then meet Cal Poly at 6:00 PM as tournament action continues.

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