March 21, 2008
Box Score vs. Oregon State
Box Score vs. Portland State
Portland, OR --- Idaho State dropped a pair of games on the opening day of the 2008 Oregon Spring Fling, which is taking place at all three of Oregon's Division I institutions. The Bengals opened the Spring Fling in Portland, dropping a pair of games to Oregon State 6-0 and to Portland State 7-1.
In the opener, Natasha Milosevich pitched well, but took the loss for Idaho State (1-15). Milosevich easily got through the first two innings, but Oregon State got to Milosevich in the third, as Dani Chisholm drove in a run with a bases loaded single, and a second run scored on an error by Amber Sackett. In the sixth, the Beavers (19-13) put the game out of reach with four runs in the frame.
Audrey Roderfield reached on an error to open the inning, and after Deann Young walked, she and Roderfield's pinch runner Kellie Roberts moved up a base on a passed ball. Another walk loaded the bases, and then back-to-back hits by Paige Lowe and Alana Ford, the latter a double, both drove in two runs. Milosevich however got out of the rest of inning by retiring the next three hitters in order.
The Bengals never threatened against OSU pitcher Kelly Dyer, managing just three singles. ISU got a runner to second twice in the game, the first time after Megan Miller opened the game with a base hit and then moved to second on a sacrifice, and the second time in the sixth when Krista Armstrong and Miller opened the inning with back-to-back hits. However, pinch hitter Emily Hu lined out to short, and Heather Dixon grounded into a 463 double play to end the threat.
In the second game, ISU lost to Portland State (14-16) 7-1. After ISU went down 1-2-3 in the first, the Vikings wasted no time getting on the board. After Jamie Rauch doubled to lead off the game, ISU starter Andrea Coburn coaxed a flyout to center field, but Jackie Heidi smacked a home run for a 2-0 lead. ISU head coach Larry Stocking relieved Coburn at that point with Kandis Clesson, and she allowed two more runs. PSU's first two batters reached on singles, and after a groundout, De'Chauna Skinner singled home two runs.
PSU put the game out of reach with a three-run third, with Skinner highlighting the inning with a three-run home run, giving her five RBI on the day.
The Bengals ended their scoreless skid at 14 innings by scratching across a run in the top of the 7th to avoid the shutout. Wailana Buchanan opened the inning with a triple, and then with two outs pinch hitter Ivy Sessions singled home Buchanan. Krista Armstrong then reached to keep the inning going, but Megan Miller popped up to end the game.
Coburn faced just three batters, but took the loss, dropping to 0-7 on the year, while PSU starter Nichole Latham improved to 5-6.
Idaho State will play the same two teams on Saturday, this time in Corvallis, facing the Beavers at noon and the Vikings at 4:30 pm.
NOTES: Buchanan's triple was ISU's first of the season ... Clesson made her eighth relief appearance of the season ... Oregon State opened the season ranked in the top 25 ... Megan Miller continues to lead the team in hitting with a .346 average.
