Oregon St.'s softball season came to an end Sunday in the Norman, Oklahoma regional, when the Beavers couldn't overcome host Oklahoma.
The Beavers lost their first game Friday afternoon, falling to Tulsa 9-7 in 11 innings. As a result, Oregon St. had to win twice on Saturday to stay alive, and they were able to do so. The Beavers easily eliminated Lehigh 9-2, and then exacted a measure of revenge on Tulsa, defeating the Golden Hurricane 2-1 to advance to Sunday.
Their stay in the regionals was extended by a weather delay, but the Beavers couldn't earn a second game once the tarp was taken off. Needing to defeat Oklahoma twice, they didn't come close, as the Sooners ended the day sooner than later, taking a 6-0 win.
Oregon St. finished the season 36-23, their best in 5 years.
Oklahoma will stay home for the Super Regionals, and will face another Pac-12 team, as 5 of the 8 conference teams to make the post-season were able to advance. Arizona, one of 3 Pac-12 teams to sweep in their home regional, will next test Oklahoma.
Interestingly, the 2 Pac-12 teams that did not sweep a home regional get to host Super Regionals, and the 3 that did all get to hit the road.California, who was the overall top seed in the NCAA Tournament, as well as the Pac-12 Champion, lost only their 5th game of the year Saturday against Arkansas, and as a result, had to win a second game in order to get the opportunity to beat Arkansas twice on Sunday. All the Razor Backs accomplished with their 3-2 upset was to make the Golden Bears really mad, though. Cal proceeded to bury Boston U. 8-0, then run the Razor Backs out of Berkeley, with 10-2 and 7-0 wins.
The Pac-12 is the only conference besides the SEC already guaranteed to be represented in the College World Series, as Cal's opponent this weekend will be Washington, after the Huskies swept their regional without allowing a single run.
Oregon also swept their regional, with a win over Portland St., and 2 over BYU, and get to go to Austin to take on Texas as a result.
The other Pac-12 team hosting a regional is Arizona St. who needed 2 tries on Sunday to eliminate Syracuse, and will host Louisiana-Lafayette in Tempe. The Rajun Cajuns got there by twice beating Stanford, after the Cardinal had twice beaten Baylor.
The other Pac-12 team to fall out on regional weekend was UCLA. The Bruins were the only conference team to not get a win, being swept off their own field in 2 straight games.
Andy_Wooldridge@yahoo.com