Catch-up mode continues....
After defeating San Francisco 11-9 on Thursday afternoon, the Beavers returned to Palm Springs Stadium to do battle with No. 12 Oklahoma State. Despite a late-inning comeback attempt by the Beavers, the Cowboys prevailed 7-5 on Friday.
Oklahoma State first baseman Dean Green homered to right in the second inning to put the Cowboys on the board first. For the Beavers in the bottom of the second, it was Ryan Ortiz who scored on a balk by Oklahoma State starter Andrew Oliver to tie the game up at one.
Oklahoma State answered in the top of the second with four singles that produced three runs. It was shortstop Tom Belza's single to right that scored Marc Ginter, and Doug Kroll's single to left that scored Dusty Harvard as well as Belza to give the Cowboys a 4-1 lead.
Oregon State rallied back in the bottom of the third with two runs produced in part by three singles and two wild pitches by Cowboy starter Andrew Oliver. Wong singled to right, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. He was driven in by Adalberto Santos's single. After Santos moved up to second on a wild pitch, he was brought around by Stefen Romero's single.
Oklahoma State pushed ahead in the top of the fifth inning, when five consecutive batters reached base and three runs scored. Tom Belza got things started for the Cowboys with a base hit, followed by two consecutive walks drawn by Kevin David and Neil Medchill to load the bases. Doug Kroll drove in two with his single to right, and Dean Green's single to left scored Medchill.
An Oregon State rally looked possible when Adalberto Santos led off the seventh inning with a triple and Stefen Romero drove him in with a single to move to score to 7-4, but Thomas Keeling silenced the Beaver bats for the remainder of the inning.
In the eighth, Jeff Breedlvoe was brought on by Oklahoma State. Joey Wong drove in Carter Bell, who walked, during the inning, but the Beavers still found themselves trailing 7-5 heading into the ninth inning.
Ryan Ortiz led off the ninth inning and grounded out to second base. Pinch hitter Jared Norris struck out, Brett Casey walked, and Koa Kahalehoe struck out to end the game.
Oregon State starter Tyler Waldron went five innings, allowing all seven Oklahoma State runs and eight hits. He struck out four and walked three. Tigard High School's Ryan Gorton came on to pitch three and two thirds innings. He allowed four hits and struck out three.
Kraig Sitton came on in relief of Gorton in the latter parts of the Oklahoma State ninth inning. He faced the final two batters of the game, walking one and striking out one.
--Jake (jake.buildingthedam@gmail.com)