TUCSON, Ariz. – Seattle University softball handed Oregon State its first loss of the season on Saturday morning. Shi Smith threw a complete-game gem to lift SU to a 2-1 win in its final game at the Wildcat Invitational, hosted by the University of Arizona.
Facing the Beavers, among those receiving votes in the latest NFCA poll, Smith was terrific on Saturday. She faced the minimum into the fifth, posting four strikeouts. In the top of the second, SU took the lead. Bailey Thompson led off with a base hit and Hannah Sasaki came on as a pinch-runner. Cherise Silvan's grounder was misplayed, putting runners at the corners for Carley Nance. Nance delivered a single to right to score Sasaki. After a Stephanie Merwin sacrifice bunt, Brooke Milder followed with an RBI groundout to bring in Silvan for a 2-0 lead.
In the third, Smith allowed a single, but got a swinging strikeout to limit the damage. She retired OSU in order in the fourth. The Beavers hit a solo homer to start the fifth and then went on to load the bases, but Smith came through with a key called third strike to end the threat with the lead still intact.
OSU walked to lead off the sixth, but Smith answered with a strikeout and then a sharp groundball to Merwin, who started a 4-6-3 double play to close the frame.
Merwin was hit by a pitch in the seventh, but the Redhawks couldn't push in an insurance run, setting up Smith to wrap her complete game.
Oregon State put the first two batters aboard in the seventh and then moved them ahead a base with a sacrifice bunt. Smith then came through with two strikeouts to win the game.
The Redhawks head to Las Vegas for the UNLV Invitational next weekend. SU will play five games, starting on Friday, Mar. 5.
Facing the Beavers, among those receiving votes in the latest NFCA poll, Smith was terrific on Saturday. She faced the minimum into the fifth, posting four strikeouts. In the top of the second, SU took the lead. Bailey Thompson led off with a base hit and Hannah Sasaki came on as a pinch-runner. Cherise Silvan's grounder was misplayed, putting runners at the corners for Carley Nance. Nance delivered a single to right to score Sasaki. After a Stephanie Merwin sacrifice bunt, Brooke Milder followed with an RBI groundout to bring in Silvan for a 2-0 lead.
In the third, Smith allowed a single, but got a swinging strikeout to limit the damage. She retired OSU in order in the fourth. The Beavers hit a solo homer to start the fifth and then went on to load the bases, but Smith came through with a key called third strike to end the threat with the lead still intact.
OSU walked to lead off the sixth, but Smith answered with a strikeout and then a sharp groundball to Merwin, who started a 4-6-3 double play to close the frame.
Merwin was hit by a pitch in the seventh, but the Redhawks couldn't push in an insurance run, setting up Smith to wrap her complete game.
Oregon State put the first two batters aboard in the seventh and then moved them ahead a base with a sacrifice bunt. Smith then came through with two strikeouts to win the game.
The Redhawks head to Las Vegas for the UNLV Invitational next weekend. SU will play five games, starting on Friday, Mar. 5.