In the first Civil War baseball game since 1981, Oregon State edged past the Oregon Ducks 7-1 in front of a sellout crowd of 2,777 at PK Park in Eugene.
The game featured two underclassmen starting pitchers-- Oregon State sophomore Tyler Waldron and Oregon freshman Tyler Anderson. Waldron, who entered the game at 1-1 on the season, threw seven and a third innings, only giving up one run on five hits. Waldron picked up his second win of the season to move his record to 2-1 on the year. Anderson, who gave up three runs on six hits in just over six innings, fell to 1-3 with the loss.
Oregon State struck first in the third inning, when John Wallace scored off an Adalberto Santos single. Wallace hit leadoff for the fifth time of the season, a spot normally occupied by Joey Wong, who hit in the two-hole Friday against the Ducks. The Beavers are now 9-0 when Wallace hits either leadoff or second in the batting order.
In the fourth inning, the Beavers added two more runs to further their lead. Coming to bat with the bases loaded, John Wallace hit a 2-RBI single to left that scored Rob Folsom and Carter Bell.
The Ducks fought back with one run in the bottom of the fourth, coming when Andrew Schmidt scored Caleb Tommassini on a single up the middle.
The Ducks were plagued by five errors in the game, but only one Oregon State run scored off an error. That run came as part of a four-run Oregon State ninth inning that put the game out of reach for the Ducks. Michael Miller reached first base on a wild throw that came off a bunt attempt... he would later score on Jarred Norris' 2-RBI pinch hit base hit that also drove in Stefen Romero.
The Ducks were playing without their head coach, George Horton, who was serving the final day of a three-game suspension he received for bumping into an umpire. He'll rejoin the team for the final two games of the series at PGE Park in Portland.
Adalberto Santos extended his hitting streak to 14 games with his RBI base hit in the third inning. Ryan Ortiz was the only Beaver with two hits, going 2-for-5, and six other players each had one hit apiece.
Caleb Tommasini, John's brother, paced the Ducks with a 2-for-4 performance at the plate. Only four Ducks recorded hits in the game.
Games 2 and 3 of the series will be played at PGE Park in Portland. Saturday's game is slated for a 6 p.m. first pitch, and Sunday's game will start at 1 p.m.
--Jake (jake.buildingthedam@gmail.com)