2004 NCAA Softball Regional -- Game 13 Recap
5/23/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
2004 NCAA Softball Regional
#20 Oregon State 6, Illinois-Chicago 5
Game 13 -- Sunday, May 23 -- Noon
Alumni Field, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Records: Oregon State (43-27), Illinois-Chicago (42-23)
Next OSU Game: Sunday, May 23 -- vs. Michigan, 4:20 p.m.
Next Illinois-Chicago Game: UIC eliminated with 3-2 record
Oregon State Advances to TItle Game With Comeback Win
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- No. 3 seed Oregon State defeated No. 7 seed Illinois-Chicago 6-5 in the losers bracket final of the 2004 NCAA Regional 6 Softball Tournament Sunday (May 23) at Alumni Field to advance to the title game. The Flames scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 5-3 lead, but Oregon State answered with three runs in the top of the sixth inning to earn the victory.
Neither team was able to find its offense in the early innings and the game remained knotted at zero heading into the third inning. The Beavers finally broke the tie in the top of the third inning. With runners on second and third, Vanessa Iapala reached base on a fielding error, driving home the first run of the game. Oregon State then increased its lead in the top of the fourth inning, scoring on a failed pickoff attempt by the Flames. Sherina Galvan came home on the play, giving Oregon State a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.
UIC answered in the bottom of the fourth inning to cut the Beavers' lead to one run, 2-1. With runners on first and second, Nicole Shepard drove in the Flames first run of the game on a fielding error by Oregon State. However, OSU quickly regained its lead with a centerfield single by Lisa Allen that scored Kelly Peterson. After five and a half innings of play, Oregon State held a 3-1 victory.
After a rain delay of an hour and 24 minutes, UIC charged back in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring four runs to take a 5-3 lead. Amanda Riviera, Alycia Creesee and Shepard hit consecutive RBI singles to give the Flames a 4-3 lead. Then with the bases loaded, Meghan Gallagher earned a walk to give UIC a two-run cushion, 5-3.
Oregon State responded with three runs in the sixth inning to seal the victory. Adrienne Alo doubled with runners on first and second to start the run. Then with runners on second and third, Peterson singled up the middle to drive in both runners and give the Beavers a 6-5 lead.
Oregon State starting pitcher Monica Hoffman then re-entered the game to close out the final two innings. Hoffman allowed only two hits over the final two innings, notching four strikeouts.
Oregon State will now face off against Michigan in the championship game at 4:20 p.m. The Beavers will have to defeat the Wolverines twice to win the Region 6 championship.
N O T E S
In regional tournament play, Oregon State has made the championship contest in four out of six total appearances.
With Monica Hoffman's sixth save this afternoon, she has accumulated 12 for her career, setting a new OSU career record.
Q U O T E S
Illinois-Chicago Co-Head Coach Sarah O'Malley-Fisher
On being the No. 7 seed ..."We never expected ourselves to be the No. 7 seed, we thought we deserved to be a little higher. So in our girls' minds and in our minds, we had to get focused and believe that we were better than a No. 7 seed."
On the team's performance ... "We played a very tough schedule, we prepared ourselves very well for this and we fought all the way until the very end. Although it's frustrating, in the same sense I couldn't be any prouder to have been part of this."
Illinois-Chicago Co-Head Coach Tom Gray
On nearly qualifying to the championship game ... "They have a lot of heart. That's probably the hardest part, to walk away from this after having such a great experience with some kids who are some outstanding competitors. We worked and played hard together and just got after it. There's not a kid here on this team that doesn't think that we should be playing in this next game. That's why we got as far as we did."
