Beavers Survive Huskies To End DeMarini Invitational

If you're lookin' to talk basketball, scroll down to the Tailgate Open Thread below this post.

After defeating Northern Illinois on Friday by the score of 23-7, the Beavers and Huskies met up again in the final game of the DeMarini Invitational on Sunday morning, and the score was much lower.

A total of three runs were scored in the game, two by Oregon State, and one by Northern Illinois. With the win, the No. 22 Beavers move to 4-2 on the season. Northern Illinois

Jorge Reyes got the first start of the 2009 season against the Huskies, scattering just three hits over his five innings of work. He allowed one run, walked one, and struck out four. The game marked the 26th start of Reyes' Oregon State career, and he moves to 1-0 on the season and 11-6 over the course of his career with the win. 

Northern Illinois drew first blood in the fourth inning, when left fielder Jordin Hood led off with a double down the right field line. Reyes would then record two quick outs, but Husky catcher Matt Behren doubled to left, sending in Hood from second base. 

Oregon State answered in the bottom of the fifth, when designated hitter Blake Gibbs scored from second on a Carter Bell ground-rule double. Gibbs reached base by way of being hit by a pitch, and was sacrificed to second base on a bunt by John Wallace.  Bell would later score in the inning after Chuck Lukanen reeled of two consecutive walks to load the bases and then pushed in Bell with his third straight walk, issued to Adalberto Santos. 

After starting the tournament with thirty-three hits in the first two games, the Beaver bats were silenced for just four hits in each of the final two games in Tempe. Northern Illinois starter Chuck Lukanen allowed just two runs on three hits in his four and a third innings of work. But it was the accuracy-- Lukanen walked four OSU batters, three in the fifth inning-- that ended up costing the southpaw a win. 

Trailing 1-2 entering the bottom of the ninth inning, Northern Illinois threatened to retake the lead with Oregon State closer Kevin Rhoderick on the hill. Rhoderick allowed a leadoff single to Husky first baseman Dave Reynolds, then struck out the next two batters in succession. He then walked Joe Etcheverry and Troy White to load the bases with two outs, then came through with a game-winning strikeout of NIU shortstop Alex Jones to seal his second save of the season. 

Oregon State finishes the DeMarini Invitational with a 3-1 record in Tempe. The Beavers won 23-7 over Northern Illinois on Thursday, beat Missouri 12-8 on Friday, lost to host Arizona State 6-3 on Saturday, and defeated NIU 2-1 again on Sunday.

The Beavers will return to action Thursday in Palm Springs against San Francisco. 

--Jake (jake.buildingthedam@gmail.com)