The Oregon State softball team wrapped up their Fall season at home on Saturday by taking a stunning 13-4 win against Mt. Hood Community College.

The Beavers are already looking like a PAC-12 contender with new talent, combined with aggressive strategies to rattle teams until they come apart. 

Head coach, Laura Berg, has done a great job implementing methods such as assertive baserunning and calculated sacrifice plays that make the offense a threat no matter the situation.

This was displayed plenty on Saturday’s game with OSU advancing runners four times with bunts and scoring four runs directly from sacrifice hits. 

These factors, combined with the ability to blaze around the bases, are what allowed the Beavers to get so many runs. However, the strategy wasn’t the only way that OSU scored. 

They also showed that they can hit the ball hard, logging three doubles and one home run in just a few innings.

Although a team can not flourish with just offense, and that’s why Oregon State’s defense was just as impressive. 

With Tarni Stepto, Jenna Birch, and Sarah Haendiges pitching through the first seven innings, they collectively only allowed one hit. 

Stepto and Haendiges both threw three strikeouts in just two innings while the first-year, Birch, forced many groundouts.

Mt. Hood capitalized on some offensive opportunities late and was able to score two runs in the seventh and two runs in the tenth, but with OSU firing off six runs between the seventh and ninth innings they kept the game completely in their control.

With all aspects of the Beavers roster starting to fall into place, it’s only fair to wonder if they have the potential to go the distance this year and reach the NCAA Women’s College World Series.

They achieved their second appearance in the NCAA WCWS last year, with their first appearance being way back in 2006. With lots of new talent joining the team and prominent upperclassmen such as Frankie Hammoude, returning for more softball, time will only tell when the Beavers will find themselves a championship.

Oregon State softball will return in the Spring of 2023 with the start of their regular season in the PAC-12 conference.