CORVALLIS, Ore. – It was a frustrating conclusion to the season on Saturday as Utah Softball left 12 runners on base and suffered a late-inning loss at Oregon State, 4-2
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In their final collegiate games,
Ally Dickman had a pair of hits,
Ryley Ball reached base safely twice and
Hailey Hilburn pitched a complete game. In fact, Ball and Dickman started the game with singles and an OSU error brought home the game's first run.
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However, the theme of the day was Oregon's State's ability to keep Utah from getting the big hit. In the second,
Julia Noskin singled and
Makayla Hurst reached with one out, but the Beavers got a pop up and ground out to end the threat. The Utes were back at it in the third as
Ellessa Bonstrom walked and
Alyssa Barrera singed. After a bunt, Hilburn lifted a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 score. Barrera capped her season with a .400 average in Pac-12 play.
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In the fourth, Ball was hit by a pitch and Dickman singled with two outs, but OSU's Mariah Mazon got a key strikeout. The Beavers got on the board in the bottom half when Shelby Weeks singled, advanced on Utah's only error and scored on a Jessica Garcia single. In fact, Weeks and Garcia finished with five of their team's seven hits on the day.
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Utah put another run in scoring position during the fifth as Barrera walked and was bunted up to second. After stealing third with two outs, it was Mazon with another strikeout to keep it a one-run game.
Mason finished with 135 pitches on the day, while Hilburn only tossed 79 for the Utes.
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The Beavers took the lead for good in the sixth. After consecutive singles by Weeks and Garcia with one out, a walk to Camryn Ybarra  loaded the bases. Frankie Hammoude would then clear them with a double for a 4-2 lead.
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Utah had one last chance as Castaneda and Hilburn singled after OSU turned a double play. After an error loaded the bases, Mazon struck
Katie Faulk for a third time to end the contest. The Utes finished 1-for-13 today with runners in scoring position and 5-for-31 on the weekend. They were also 0-for-5 in bases loaded situations.
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Utah concluded its season with a record of 19-34, 7-16 in Pac-12 play, finishing seventh.
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