This is exactly what we didn't want to happen. With our ace on the hill, the Beavers laid an egg for the third straight game, this time dropping a winnable game to the Washington State Cougars by the score of 10-3.
The Beavers started last week out the same way with a devastating loss to Arizona, but then bounced right back to steal the series from the Wildcats with two great wins. However, with the Beavers now on a three game skid that includes those two mid-week games in Spokane, I'm worried about our chances of bouncing back.
Tanner Robles will get the start tomorrow. He's been hot as of late, but it still worries me when we send a freshman to the hill, especially against a veteran lineup such as Washington State's. They're a very underrated last place team in the Pac-10 as the Beavers saw Saturday night, and they can hit the ball, especially in their home ballpark.
The Beavers desperately need to win this series, and with their backs to the wall down 0-1 in the series already, they'll need every ounce of effort out of their pitchers and hitters, as well as the defense.
Mike Stutes went six full innings, giving up nine runs on ten hits. He threw 118 pitches, striking out three and walking four. James Nygren threw back of Stutes, throwing ten pitches total. He walked one and forced a groundout. From there on out it was all Jordan Lennerton, who made his first collegiate appearance on the hill to the best of my knowledge. He went one and a third, throwing 19 pitches. I've seen him warming up in the pen several times, but I never really thought he would see action in a game. But down by pleanty late in the game, it seems like the OSU coaches felt they would rather take their chances with their first baseman rather than waste one of their "better" arms.
Can you imagine this guy on the hill? Me either.
Daniel Robertson was 2-for-3 at the plate, and Lonnie Lechelt was 2-for-4. The Beavers had seven hits total on the evening, and managed to score three runs. The Beavers left six men on base.
GO BEAVERS!
--JB--