It was Jorge Reyes who delivered for the Beavers in the second time beating Rutgers in the Charlottesville Regional. The freshman went six innings, giving up two runs on six hits, striking out four, and walking four.
Oregon State, the second ranked team in the nation in fielding percentage coming into this game, gave up four errors, yet still beat Rutgers 5-2. They also left 13 men on base.
Oregon State started out the first inning with a run. The run was scored by Chris Hopkins on a throwing error by the catcher. The Beavers got Jason Ogata to third, but three consectuive outs by Ogata, Kahalehoe, and Barney ended the inning.
In the fourth, the Beavers added two more, thanks to a couple more Rutgers errors. Scott Santschi walked to lead it off, then Lennerton reached first on a throwing error by the third baseman. Lechelt and Wong both singled. Santschi scored on an error by the catcher, and Wong's base hit to center scored Jordan Lennerton. That was all the Beavers could do, and that gave them a 3-0 lead heading into the fifth. Rutgers would score a run in the top of the fifth and the top of the sixth to bring Oregon State's lead to 1 at 3-2.
The the bottom of the sixth, Joey Wong scored thanks to a wild pitch and a base hit by Koa Kahalehoe. That would be all for the sixth, but in the seventh, #8 hitter Lonnie Lechelt took a ball deep, his first home run since he was a freshman. That insurance run gave Oregon State a 5-2 lead, a lead the Beavers would hold onto, giving them the victory.
With the win, the Beavers now have to beat Virginia twice to advance to Super Regionals. The first game is going on right now, and it is currently scoreless.
Just a quick note... the Beavers have now won seven straight elimination games. Six of those were in Omaha last year, and the win over Rutgers gave them their seventh. They look to get their eighth consecutive win facing elimination tonight against the Cavaliers.
More coming tonight.
Go Beavers!
--JB--