Beavers Drop Series Opener, First Home Game to Trojans

Final Score: USC 4, OSU 3. 

The Beavers' perfect record at home came to an end Friday night at Goss Stadium, where the Trojans took the first game of the weekend series from the Beavers, 4-3. Tyler Waldron got the start for the Beavers, and would go seven innings. 

The Trojans got on the board first in the top of the first inning when Ricky Oropesa singled in Grant Green from second. I wasn't at the game yet, because I was watching the end of the football scrimmage, but from the people I talked to it sounded like Green could have been thrown out at the plate, but John Wallace wasn't able to put very much mustard on the ball from center field. 

USC kept things going in the top of the third, when they got a single from O'Neill and a double from Green to put runners on second and third with one out. The Beavers intentionally walked Rickey Oropesa to get to Anthony Vasquez, but Waldron hit Vazquez to score O'Neill from third. With the bases loaded, Robert Stock hit what looked like a double play ball to Joey Wong. Wong got the ball to Tommasini at second for the first out, but Stock beat out the double play to keep the inning alive. Grant Green scored on that play, giving the Trojans a 4-0 lead once the inning ended.

USC added to their lead with a leadoff, first pitch home run in the fourth inning by Brandon Garcia. Waldron then went after Alex Sherrod by throwing a ball over his head off the backstop. Sherood wasn't too happy about that, taking a few steps towards the mound, a move that sparked some chatter from both dugouts and led to an altercation between coaching staffs after the game. 

Following the fourth, Waldron would throw three scoreless innings before being replaced by Josh Osich in the eighth. Waldron finished the day with giving up four runs on five hits, walking three and striking out three. 

The Beavers got the bats going in the seventh, where the first four batters reached base. Stefen Romero led off with a double down the left field line. John Wallace followed it up with a bunt single, then Koa Kahalehoe knocked in Romero with a double of his own to right center. Michael Miller then walked to load the bases with no outs, but Brett Casey, pinch hitting for John Tommasini, grounded into a double play that scored Wallace from third, but quickly turned the tide in the inning. Joey Wong came up with a clutch single to right to score Kahaehoe from third and salvage one more run from the inning. Adalberto Santos struck out looking to end the frame. The Beavers put three runs on the board, but it seemed like a let-down at the time. 

Oregon State knocked on the door again in the eighth. Ryan Ortiz hit a double off the center field wall with one out, but couldn't even get to third in the inning, and the frame ended with yet another strikeout. 

The Beavers looked like they could at least tie the game in the bottom of the ninth when Michael Miller led off with a walk, but Brett Casey couldn't get the bunt down, and the by the time Miller advanced to second, there were already two outs. He would move up to third on a wild pitch, but Adalberto Santos struck out to end the game. 

The Beavers fall to 22-8 and 7-3 in the Pac-10 with the loss. They really need to come back and win in Game 2 and 3 to get a series win then move on.... the schedule is going to be getting tougher, so it's imperative for the Beavers to capitalize on all the opportunities they can. 

Greg Peavey is the scheduled starter for Game 2 and is expected to throw out the first pitch at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday.

I was in attendance on Friday... view my general thoughts on the game. 

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