OSU vs. Arizona // Game 3
Final Score: Arizona 3, Oregon State 1
The Beavers couldn't finish off their final Pac-10 series with a sweep after winning four straight games, and missed on an opportunity to give the NCAA Selection Committee little reason not to include the Beavers in the field of 64.
The Beavers started sophomore Ryan Gorton in place of the expected Tanner Robles. Gorton struggled with his command an was lifted after two innings for Tyler Waldron.
Oregon State quickly fell behind the to Wildcats, as a one-out double in the first inning by Rafael Valenzuela followed immediately by a Jett Bandy single produced a run that put UA ahead for the first time of the weekend.
The Beavers' lone run of the game came in the third inning when Tyler Smith doubled to left on a misjudged ball by Steve Selsky, moved over to third on a groundout, and scored on a passed ball.
Selsky would drive in the game winning run himself in the sixth inning, when he hit his eighth home run of the season, a two-run shot that made the score 3-1.
Waldron went four innings in the game, striking out five batters. The single he gave up to Jett Bandy and the ensuing home run by Steve Selsky are the line blemishes on his record, and ultimately cost the Beavers the game.
Tyler Smith, Andrew Susac, and Adalberto Santos all got two hits for the Beavers, who simply left too many runners on base in the game. The game total was ten-- but eight of those runners were left on base in the first five innings.
The Beavers, along with the Wildcats, now have to wait until tomorrow morning at 9:30a.m. to see what their postseason fate will be. The Beavers hope that they've done enough to earn a berth, but that decision will be made tonight by nine men sitting around a table.
--Jake | (jake.buildingthedam@gmail.com)