The Barometer Online

Issue date: 4/13/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Jeff Wick Junior pitcher Kelly Dyer delivers a pitch against Oregon in game three of the Civil War softball series.

Saturday at Howe Field in Eugene, junior pitcher Kelly Dyer was the epitome of redemption as only a day earlier Dyer was yanked after one inning after giving up three early runs.

"It felt really good and I wanted it more than anything," Dyer said. "I was like, 'Start me today because I want to come back and prove myself.' It was pretty exciting."

After dropping game two of the Civil War series 3-2 to Oregon (13-23, 2-7 Pac-10) on Friday, the Beavers (20-19, 3-6) picked up a 2-1 victory in game three on Saturday.

In an act of early redemption, with two outs and a runner on third, Dyer battled Oregon right fielder Blair Williamson to a full count before striking her out. Putting down the Ducks' threat in the bottom of the first, Dyer handled Oregon in the second and third.

In the top of the fourth, Oregon State got what it needed out of its bats as Oregon starting pitcher Melissa Rice began to struggle. On a 2-0 count to sophomore catcher Audrey Roderfeld, Rice gave what Roderfeld called the "money ball," which Roderfeld drove over the left-field fence for her ninth home run of the season.

"She was trying to work back," Roderfeld said. "I thought in my head 'money ball' and saw the ball get real big, then I just swung the bat."

After inducing a fly ball out off the bat of senior designated player Stefanie Ewing, Rice got in trouble once again. With a 2-2 count, junior right fielder Tarah Black doubled to right center, prompting Oregon head coach Kathy Arendsen to remove Rice from the game.

Falling behind to the new Oregon pitcher, Samantha Skillingstad, Beavers senior first baseman DeAnn Young singled to right, allowing Black to score the game's second run.

"She's [Roderfeld] done that for us all year," said Oregon State head coach Kirk Walker. "She's really sparked our offense and it was a huge hit. Thank goodness we followed it up with a second run right after that."

Oregon rebounded after the Beavers plated two runs when Oregon centerfielder Neena Bryant took a pitch that Dyer left up in the strike zone over the left-field wall.

Continued...

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