The Oregon State Beavers softball team was back at Kelly Field for their home seventh game in a row, taking down the University of Montana Grizzlies in dominating fashion, 7-0.  

The Beavers continue their long stay at home this Monday afternoon, coming off a series of wins against Portland State University.

The first inning started fast, with Tristian Thompson nailing a deep ball out to right field and setting up Jada Lewis to steal home, and give the Beavers the early lead 1-0, at the bottom of the first.

Pitcher Logan Hulon ensured that OSU remained with the lead throughout a runless second inning, with two strikeouts and an earned run average of 2.11. 

“You know we were pitching low, we got to see what (Hulon’s) capable of today,” head coach Laura Berg said post-game. “(We have) more games like this, and we can be set up in the best way possible to win.” 

Following another scoreless top, the Beavers quickly retaliated with two incredible bottom performances in both the third and fourth innings.

OSU loaded the bases, with Nicole Donahue sending a ball deep right, giving Lewis her second run and Justice Flores her first run of the day, advancing the score 3-0 at the bottom of the third. 

OSU again then loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth, setting up Lewis to hit the ball out to the center left of the field, with Ella Dardis and Paige Bambarger finding their way home. Before another center left hit, this time by Lici Campbell, allowed Donahue to get her first run in, and give the Beavs a 6-0 lead. 

“Today was awesome, we did everything we needed to do,” Berg said. “Some things we can still clean up, getting more runs in when we load the bases, but overall today was what we wanted to see.”

The pattern of slow starts and quick finishes continued for OSU, with another scoreless top of the fifth inning. 

Lewis would then continue her fantastic day with her second run assist, sending a ball out to center field, with Donahue getting her second run of the day. The Beavers would take their biggest, and final, lead change of the day over the Grizzlies, 7-0.

The final two innings were a back and forth, with both pitchers having ERA’s of around 4.00. Hulon would conclude her day with an impressive stat line of nine strikeouts and an ERA of 4.01. 

“You know it’s a team thing, we have the talent, and we feel like we have the right (game) plan, it’s now just executing down the stretch,” Berg added. 

OSU can’t celebrate for long, however, as they are in anticipation for their third rivalry-series matchup just around the corner. 

The University of Oregon Ducks will return to Kelly Field to see who takes the overall head to head lead, currently sitting at 1-1, on Wednesday at 6 p.m.