Pac-12 Network Game of the Week: No. 8 Washington vs. Oregon State
The Pac-12 Game of the Week is determined by the spotlight game on the Pac-12 Network. This week’s game is set for Sunday at 5 p.m. PT start time and features No. 8 Washington vs. Oregon State. The Pac-12 spotlight game will be game three of the series with game one on Friday and game two on Saturday. (All stats are through 4/7/2017)
At the Plate
The edge here goes to Washington. As a team, they carry a .340/.412/.525 slash line (BA, OBP, SLG). Pretty much all of their everyday starters are batting better than .300 with Sis Bates (.383) and Casey Stangel (.378) leading the way. Morganne Flores provides the power and her eight home runs. She also leads the Huskies in RBI with 37. Stangel has six bombs on the season and 26 RBI to her credit. The Huskies are not really a power hitting team, but they are a consistent bunch that will keep the pressure on opposing pitchers and defenses.
Oregon State comes into the weekend with a .299/.365/.439 slash line. Junior McKenna Arriola is having a strong season at the plate batting .391 with a .449 on-base percentage. They have struggled with power and getting timely hits. Sophomore Shelby Weeks has Also been consistent at the plate with a .389 average. Redshirt senior, Natalie Hampton has closed in on the school’s career RBI record and is tied at 143.
In the Circle
Pitching has been good for Washington. Taren Alvelo (15-3) has carried the bulk of the load. She is a big reason that the Huskies are sitting in the top 10. Through 103.1 innings she has posted four shutouts, 99 strikeouts and has a 2.17 ERA. Washington will also use Samantha Manti (5-1) and Madi Schreyer (6-2). Manti has eight starts and 13 appearances resulting in 38 innings with 35 strikeouts and a 1.84 ERA. Schreyer has nine starts for 52.2 innings with 32 strikeouts and a 2.53 ERA. Expect to see Alvelo in two of the three games this weekend.
Oregon State has had its struggles from the circle. The Beavers are using a three-pitcher rotation with Nerissa Eason (8-9) getting slightly more starts 21. Eason has a 3.98 ERA over 84.1 innings. Both Taylor Cotton (6-4) and Meehra Nelson (4-2) have 17 starts. Cotton has been slightly better from a numbers point of view with a 2.40 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 78.2 innings of work.
Analysis and Prediction
This series is an important one for Washington who has dropped five of their last six. Granted that was against two top 10 teams, but this is a series, at least on paper, that they should win. Oregon State is just 1-5 in conference action. One or two wins here could boost them and set the tone from the remaining conference schedule. If Washington plays at the level they have most of the season, they should be able to win the series, if not sweep.
Prediction
Washington
