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Softball ready to open home season

No. 14 Beavers return entire pitching staff and infield, look for return to World Series

Lindsay Schnell

Issue date: 3/14/07 Section: Sports
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Brianne McGowan boasted a .285 clip from the plate last year, while also provide the Beavers with steady pitching from the circle. The senior had a 1.36 ERA last season and spent her summer honing her game with the U.S. national team.
Media Credit: Peter Strong
Brianne McGowan boasted a .285 clip from the plate last year, while also provide the Beavers with steady pitching from the circle. The senior had a 1.36 ERA last season and spent her summer honing her game with the U.S. national team.
After last season, Brianne McGowan knows one thing is for sure: the OSU softball team has lost its "underdog" label.

"Before we were kinda in the underdog situation," she explained. "They were like, 'Oregon State, who's that?' But now they're ... out to beat us."

It's easy to see why opposing teams won't be taking the Beavers lightly.

Last season with a roster full of unknowns, OSU crept up on some of the best teams in the nation. For example, the Beavers took down then-No. 1 UCLA in L.A., then-No. 6 Stanford at home, and came back to beat Cal in a three-game series in the NCAA Super Regionals. That earned the Beavers the program's first-ever trip to the Women's College World Series. Oregon State went out in two games, dropping both to Pac-10 teams. But since tasting Oklahoma City, the Beavers are hungry for more.

"Definitely we want to get back to the series. That's our main goal," McGowan said.

OSU returns 11 players from last season, including its pitching staff and entire infield. They also welcome a handful of freshman, some of whom are already making a big impact.

"It gives us huge confidence," said senior Mia Longfellow. "We all want to get back there, but now it's getting to the point where we need to make it happen to get back there.

"We need to get these games we're losing. With all the experience we have on this team, that's what we should be doing right now."

The Beavers are led in the circle by senior McGowan, who, along with utility player Cambria Miranda, spent her summer playing for the U.S. national team. The pitcher finished last season with a 1.36 ERA and was also a threat at the plate, batting .285 and finishing the season with 10 home runs.

Also back in the circle is senior Ta'Tyana McElroy. The righthander recorded a 3.21 ERA last year and has gotten off to a hot start so far this season.
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