On a day better suited for Xtreme Kite Flying then softball, the Beaverton Beavers wrapped up their Spring Break trip to Las Vegas with an exciting 4 - 2 victory over the Shadow Ridge Mustangs.
With the wind howling down from the surrounding mountains, the game was mostly a defensive and pitching battle through the first three innings. Beaverton starter Megen Ickler shut down threats by the Mustangs in all three, however, with Shadow Ridge baserunners reaching third base in both the second and third innings. With one out in the second and a runner on third, Ickler got a groundout on a comebacker and then a called third strike to retire the side. In the third, a triple with one out brought up the same situation. Ickler again got the second out on a ground ball to the pitcher, then a deep fly ball to foul ground in right field that was caught by Caitlin Ellerbe.
Meanwhile, the Beavers were making threats of their own. In the first and second, the Beavers produced three hits, but the best chance - with runners on first and third with two outs in the first was foiled by a groundout. The Beavers went three and out in the third, keeping the game scoreless going into the fourth.
Catcher Kayla Lauro led off the fourth with a single up the middle on a 1 - 0 pitch. Ickler followed with a fielder's choice to the second baseman who threw the ball past the shortstop covering second. Pinch runner Victoria Sanchez tried to take third on the overthrow, but was thrown out by the center fielder as Ickler took second on the play. After Ellerbe hit back to the pitcher for the second out, freshman Megan John hammered an 0 - 1 pitch to right center field for a double, scoring pinchrunner Molly Tyler. Sam White was up next, driving a ball to right field for a single and plating John. A groundout to first ended the Beaver effort in the fourth and when Shadow Ridge could manage only one baserunner in the bottom of the frame, the Beavers had a 2 - 0 lead.
The Beavers came right back in the fifth and thanks to errors and a walk by the Mustangs had the bases loaded with one out. A 1-2-3 double play stopped the rally in its tracks. Shadow Ridge finally got untracked in the bottom of the inning. A high bouncing infield single and two errors gave the Mustangs their first run of the game and left runners on second and third with one out. A single up the middle scored the runner from third, but a "caught fly and force" double play by Willow Martinson - on for the inning at first in place of starter Ruby LaFollette - ended the threat.
Having tied the game, Shadow Ridge made a pitching change for the sixth. The Beavers continued to reach base, earning a single and two walks, but were unable to score. Sophomore Molly Tyler came on in relief of Ickler in the bottom of the sixth for the Beavers. After giving up a leadoff single, the Beavers allowed the runner to reach third with a wild pitch and a throwing error on a pickoff attempt at second. Tyler, however got a groundout to third, a strikeout and then a spectacular play at third by Natsuki Horikawa to get out of the jam with no damage on the scoreboard. Horikawa speared a high bouncer well over her head and gunned the runner out at first all in one motion, drawing "ooohs" and quite a number of "ahhhs" from fans of both teams.
Coming to the 7th, the score was tied 2 - 2 and the Beavers again had a chance to show their quality. LaFollette led off the inning with a single up the middle. Up next, Lauro hit back to the pitcher who forced LaFollette at second. Sanchez came on to pinch run for Lauro for the fourth time in the game. After Ickler drew a walk, a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third with only one out. Ellerbe grounded out to the pitcher, bringing John to the plate with two outs. The freshman delivered again, ripping a double down the left field line and scoring both Sanchez and Ickler and giving the Beavers a 4 - 2 lead.
The Mustang's last chance against Tyler was short-lived. After a lead-off walk, Tyler got the first out on a fly ball to Ellerbe in right. A stolen base and a passed ball moved the runner to third, but Tyler struck out the third batter, then got the final out on a grounder to short.
Tyler (2-0) got the win for the Beavers. In a rarity at any level, not a single Beaver player stuck out in the game against Shadow Ridge. The team brought 35 batters to the plate and more than half reached base as the team produced 10 hits, 4 walks, and reached base 3 times via fielder's choice and once on an error.
The Beavers finished their Las Vegas trip 3 - 1 and now return to Oregon to face their final week of pre-season action before the beginning of Metro League play.
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