No. 7 Ranked Oregon State Softball Team Wins NCAA Regional Tournament Title With 3-1 Victory Ove

OSU Softball Coach Kirk Walker Photo Courtesy: OSU Communications

CORVALLIS - Junior pitcher Brianne McGowan tossed a four-hitter and sophomore Cambria Miranda belted a home run to lead the No. 7 ranked Oregon State softball team to a 3-1 victory over No. 19 ranked Baylor University on Sunday in the NCAA Regional Tournament championship game.

Oregon State (41-13) advances to the NCAA Super Regional for the first time – this is just the second year in which the Super Regional format has been used – but this marks the third time in the past four years that the Beavers have reached the final 16.

Both teams were slow to get things going offensively, but Miranda turned the tide for the Beavers when she matched the Oregon State single season record (Tarrah Beyster – 2000) with her 16th home run of the season with two outs in the bottom of the third inning to break up Lisa Ferguson`s no-hitter.

The Beavers added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth as back-to-back singles from McGowan and Vanessa Iapala, followed by a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt from freshman DeAnn Young helped set the stage for freshman pinch hitter Stefanie Ewing. Ewing stepped to the plate and drove the first pitch she saw up the middle for a 2-RBI single as the Beavers extended their advantage to 3-0.

McGowan was tossing a no-hitter through 4.1 innings until Baylor`s Jordan Daniels slid a single past the glove of a diving Mia Longfellow at shortstop in the top of the fifth.

Baylor (38-22) rallied back in the top of the sixth inning as Kelly Osburn belted her 15th home run of the season with a solo shot over the right-center field fence, but the Bears stranded a pair of runners on base in the final inning as Oregon State secured the title.

McGowan (27-6) finished with a perfect 2-for-2 effort from the plate to go along with five strikeouts in her 25th complete game of the season. Senior outfielder Maggie DeWall went 2-for-3 for the Beavers, while Daniels had a pair of hits for Baylor.

Oregon State will host No. 6 ranked University of California in the NCAA Super Regional. The Tournament is a best 2 out of 3 game series with action running on Friday (May 26th) and Saturday (May 27) or Saturday (May 27th) and Sunday (May 28th). Game times and dates will be announced on Monday, pending a decision from the ESPN networks.

Super Regional all-session tickets will be available for purchase on Monday at 8:30 a.m. from the Oregon State Ticket Office or by calling 1-800-GOBEAVS. All-session tickets will cost $30 for adults and $20 for seniors, students, and youth (3-18). Individual game tickets can be purchased at the gate on game-day only. Individual tickets will cost $15 for adults and $10 for seniors, students, and youth (3-18).

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