The Barometer Online

Issue date: 4/13/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Peter Strong Mia Longfellow looks to become OSU's career leader in singles and hits this weekend as the No. 17 Beavers face UCLA and Washington.

Coming off a convincing sweep of in-state rival Portland State, the No. 17 Oregon State softball team returns to Pac-10 action today with No. 14 UCLA (26-10, 2-3 Pac-10) coming to town. The Beavers (31-12, 3-2 Pac-10) will then take on No. 12 Washington (24-10, 2-3 Pac-10) on Saturday and Sunday to wrap up the crucial conference weekend.

On Tuesday, Beaver pitchers Brianne McGowan and Ta'Tyana McElroy led the way by taking a pair of games against the Vikings by scores of 4-0 and 6-2, respectively.

McGowan (19-7) breezed through the Portland State (17-22) batters in the opening game, striking out six en route to her 34th career shutout victory. The Reno, Nev., native helped her own cause when she belted a two-run double to the left-center field gap in the bottom of the fifth inning. Eight different Oregon State players picked up hits in the first game and both Mia Longfellow and Dani Chisholm had two hits each.

"I was pleased with our intensity," coach Kirk Walker said. "We did a good job offensively with runners in scoring position and swung the bat well."

The Beavers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in game two behind four hits in the bottom of the second inning. Longfellow and Miranda both picked up two-RBI singles in the frame. Freshman Kelly Dyer's pinch-hit two-RBI double to the right field fence made the score 6-0 in the bottom of the third. Longfellow and Chisholm continued their consistent play from the plate, both registering two more hits in the second game.

This weekend, the softball program will host the Strike Out Cancer Days. The American Cancer Society will be accepting donations throughout the weekend and fans that donate will be eligible to win an array of prizes from the OSU softball program.

"It's a great opportunity to create some awareness for our athletes and our fans, and a way to give back; even if it's in a small financial way," Walker said.

This weekend, there will be a few school records that are in reach of being broken. McGowan enters the weekend with 808 career strikeouts and needs just two more K's to become OSU's all-time leader. When it's broken, she will surpass Crystal Draper's (1999-02) school record of 809. The senior is looking to break her third school record in as many weeks. The 6-2 hurler also holds the Beaver all-time record in wins (94) and shutouts (34). Shortstop Mia Longfellow needs just six hits to break the Beavers' all-time record of 225 held by Jodi Chmielewski (1996-99). The senior also needs only six more singles to break Chmielewski's record of 176. The 5-1 speedster already holds the OSU school record for stolen bases (50) and ranks second all-time in runs scored (125) and sacrifice hits (43).

UCLA holds a commanding 71-8 advantage against Oregon State in the all-time series history, but all eight Beaver victories against the Bruins have come with Kirk Walker at the helm. OSU has beaten UCLA at least once in three straight seasons. University of Washington leads the all-time series with Oregon State by a 38-11 margin, but the Beavers have won four of the last six meetings between the squads. The Beavers currently hold an 11-2 record in home games this season.

First pitch for Friday's game against the Bruins will be thrown at 3 p.m. and will continue on Saturday and Sunday against the Huskies with both games at 1 p.m.

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