By Fans jumped out of their seats as Nichole Fry hit a walk-off homerun in extra innings on the third day of the Stacy Winsberg Invitational.
Long Beach State (4-5) defeated Oregon State (8-2) 6-4 Sunday afternoon after the umpires decided to continue on with play despite the rainy weather.
“I felt like I was due because I hadn’t had a base hit yet,” Fry said. “I have to give all the credit to my teammates because they fought hard all game.”
Oregon State got a head start at the beginning of the game when senior outfielder Lovie Lopez scored on a bobble from sophomore infielder Alyssa Gonzales. Despite the Beavers’ attempt to shake up the 49ers early on, junior pitcher Ashley Coleman contained Oregon State to one run as they entered the bottom of the first.
Long Beach’s first two batters were unable to clear it through the infield and grounded out. The 49ers broke their offense open when senior utility Jamie Wren shot a double to deep left and started the two-out rally. Gonzales made up for her defensive error when her high shot to left field was dropped and allowed Wren to tag up and touch home.
The Beavers were held off from scoring until the fifth inning, when sophomore utility Missy Nunes dropped a shallow line drive into center field, bringing in freshman infielder Maia Radar to take the lead 2-1.
“Our focus was to come out and score more often,” head coach Kim Sowder said. “We wanted to compete each inning and get good at-bats.”
After two unsuccessful attempts by Long Beach to turn a double play, Oregon State runners found their way onto the bases in the fifth inning. Freshman infielder Frankie Hammoude capitalized on the opportunity and brought in Lopez and Nunes with a low line drive to left field.
After sophomore Justine Briones was walked, Fry started the 49ers’ offensive attack in the fifth inning after getting to first base on a bobble by Radar, but was later called out at second base when sophomore outfielder Naomi Hernandez hit a grounder in an attempt to move Fry over.
Wren caused an error when she shot the ball to third base, moving Hernandez from first to third and scoring Briones.
Gonzales earned another RBI when she hit a shot down the left field line, successfully bringing in Hernandez. Wren hustled to home during the play, and was called out as she attempted to slide behind the catcher, bringing disapproving remarks from the crowd.
Wren started the comeback in the bottom of the seventh when she dropped one up the middle into center field to earn a single. A shot just over the shortstops head by junior infielder Taylor Rowland was enough to bring Wren home and extend the game.
With junior outfielder Breezy Wise placed on second due to the intentional tie breaker, Fry launched the ball over the left field fence and ended the game 6-4 with a walk-off homerun.
Long Beach hosts its next game 11 a.m Wednesday against Army.
