Feb. 18, 2006
The University of Notre Dame softball team (1-2) suffered its second defeat of the UNLV Desert Classic on Saturday morning during a 5-0 loss to #14/12 Oregon State (6-2). The Beavers utilized two big home runs to break the game open, while the Irish offense was shutdown by OSU starting pitcher Brianne McGowan. Notre Dame will continue the tournament action on Saturday against the home team, UNLV, at approximately 3:45 p.m. PT.
Notre Dame played Oregon State even throughout the first three innings and missed several opportunities to score the game’s first run. In the bottom of the first inning the Irish had runners at second and third with two outs and senior Mallorie Lenn lined out sharply to shortstop. In the second inning, the Irish had a runner on second base with one out who misread a sign and was thrown out attempting to steal third base.
The execution errors continued for the Irish in the fourth inning when senior Meagan Ruthrauff drew a leadoff walk. Lenn popped up the sacrifice bunt attempt to snuff out the scoring chance. In the fifth inning, senior Sara Schoonaert drilled a double into leftfield, only to be stranded at third base by a ground out and pop up.
Oregon State, on the other hand, took advantage of its chances against Notre Dame’s starting pitcher Heather Booth. Utilizing a strong wind blowing out to centerfield Stefanie Ewing hit a solo home run in the fourth inning to break a scoreless tie, then Oregon State followed up with a two-run shot in the fourth inning from centerfielder Adrienne Alo.
Oregon State tacked on two insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning on a single, walk, double and defensive error by the Irish.
Booth was credited with her first loss of the season, working all seven innings with eight hits, five runs (four of which were earned), three walks and seven strikeouts. McGowan picked up the three-hit shutout for Oregon State, walking three and striking out six.