OKLAHOMA CITY – Short-handed Oregon State couldn’t overcome the loss of its best player Thursday, as Florida used a 13-hit attack and stellar relief pitching to score a 7-1 win in the Women’s College World Series opener at OGE Energy Field.
The Beavers, making just their second WCWS appearance in school history, came up short in key situations. Florida scored two runs in the second and fourth inning to take command and put away upstart Oregon State. Reliever Natalie Lugo pitched the final six innings, setting down 18 of the 19 OSU hitters she faced.
An hour before the game, Oregon State announced that standout pitcher Mariah Mazon was unavailable to play. OSU did not give a reason for Mazon’s absence. Mazon is OSU’s top pitcher, a third-team all-American, and one of the Beavers’ best hitters.
Oregon State put freshman pitcher Sarah Haendiges in the circle. Haendiges was under pressure nearly every inning, as she gave up 10 hits and five runs before exiting with two out in the fifth inning.
Oregon State (39-21) falls to the elimination bracket, where the Beavers face the loser of Thursday’s nightcap between Arizona and Oklahoma State. The loser-out game starts at 6:30 p.m. If it’s Arizona, the Beavers have some familiarity, as they beat the Wildcats in two of three regular season games.
Oregon State made its improbable run to the WCWS after snapping a 10-game losing streak late in the regular season. The Beavers, one of the final four teams to earn an at-large berth, won the Knoxville Regional by defeating host Tennessee, then swept Stanford to capture the super regional.
Florida (49-17) produced seven singles during the first four innings to build a 4-1 lead. Cheyenne Lindsey had three hits and three runs to key a 13-hit Gators attack. No. 9 hitter Avery Goelz had three RBI, while Charla Echols had a homer and a triple.
Oregon State managed only five hits, including a double by Xiao Gin. Four hits came off Florida starter Lexie Delbrey.
The Beavers struck first, as Gin scored on Frankie Hammoude’s two-out single in the first inning.
The Beavers had a chance for a windfall in the second, as the 7-8-9 hitters in the lineup landed on base with no out. But Florida turned to the bullpen, where Lugo got three consecutive outs to keep OSU scoreless in the second.
Florida capitalized during its half of the second, when the first two hitters reached base. Then with two out, Goelz hit a sharp grounder to first, which glanced off Hammoude’s glove. Two runs scored, and the Gators had a 2-1 lead.
The Beavers were unable to muster threats in the third and fourth. Florida continued to produce, as the pesky Goelz did it again. Her two-run single to center in the fourth inning increased the Gators’ lead to 4-1.
Florida continued to thunder away, scoring three in the fifth for a 7-1 lead. The big blow was Echols’ solo homer to center.
Though none of the current OSU players have been to the WCWS, the Beavers coaching staff is loaded with World Series experience. Coach Laura Berg and pitching coach Marcie Green each played in three WCWS while playing at Fresno State. Berg played on a national championship team in 1998.
–Nick Daschel | ndaschel@oregonian.com | @nickdaschel
