#23 Oregon State (31-17, 12-11) at Utah (13-34, 7-19) at Noon MDT (11:00 AM PDT) at Spring Mobile Ball Park in Salt Lake City - KEJO 1240 AM & KPOJ 620 AM - Audio Stream only (No Video) on Beaver Nation Online, for a fee
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Oregon St. concludes their first ever trip to Utah with the series on the line, after the Utes pulled out a 4-3 win in the 11th inning Saturday.
The Beavers took a 3-2 lead in the top of the 11th, their third 1 run lead of the day, when Max Gordon singled to score Ryan Dettman, who was running for Danny Hayes. But Oregon St. couldn't capitalize on their opportunity to open any breathing room, leaving the bases loaded.
The Utes didn't squander their chance though. After Tyler Relf and Parker Morin led off with consecutive singles, Oregon St. closer Tony Bryant got a sacrifice out, but then intentionally walked Trey NIelsen to load the bases. But the chance to get a force out never materialized, as Jo Jo Sharrar drove a single to right field to drive in both Relf and Morin, and win the game.
It was the first "crooked" number of the game, as Oregon St. took a 1-0 lead in the 2nd, an advantage that held up until Utah tied it in the 5th. The Beavers moved back ahead in the 7th, when Gordon drove in Hayes. Gordon was the first batter after Utah starter Joe Pond left, after giving up only 5 hits.
Utah again tied the game in the 8th, on an RBI double by Morin, and the game went beyond regulation before a 5th run would be scored, a stark contrast from the 21 run shootout Oregon St. won Friday.
The Beavers failed to capitalize on multiple chances to take the game, leaving 2 on base in the 7th, and then failing to score in the 8th after loading the bases with 1 out, only to have the opportunity end with a double play.
Once they left the bases loaded in the 11th, the stranded runner total had climbed to 12. The inability to convert runners into multiple runs, and produce the big inning, has been a problem all season, and it cost them the game once again.
Jace Fry fired another great start at the Utes, as the freshman went 9 innings, and allowed only 4 hits, while striking out 6, but didn't figure in the decision. Nick Green, who faced only 1 batter, Michael Conforto, but struck him out with the bases loaded in the 11th, got the win. Bryant, who had come on with 1 out in the 10th, and got a ground out and a strike out before the Utes got to him in the 11th, blew the save and suffered his 2nd loss of the season.
The loss dropped Oregon St. into 6th place in the Pac-12, 4 games behind conference leading Oregon. The Ducks defeated USC 4-3 at PK Park to maintain a 1 game lead over Arizona. The Wildcats remained alone in 2nd place, 1 game back of Oregon, with a 4-1 win at California.
Stanford, previously tied with Oregon St., pulled a game ahead of them with an 8-3 win over Washington St., and UCLA took sole possession of third place in the Pac-12 race with an 11-3 win at Washington, which kept the Huskies a game behind the Beavers, in 7th.
Arizona St., being the conference team with the bye weekend this week, took their second game of the series from Gonzaga, as the Sun Devils burned the Bulldogs 10-1.
Oregon St. will send sophomore RHP Dan Child (4-3, 2.53 ERA) out to try to take the series deciding win today, while Utah will counter with freshman RHP Mitch Watrous (2-4, 3.20 ERA).
Child went 7 innings and allowed only 2 runs and 4 hits, but didn't get the decision last Sunday in the Beavers' 5-4 10 inning win over Stanford.
Watrous went an out into the 7th inning last Sunday against Arizona St., and took the loss despite allowing only 6 hits, but leaving down 3-2. The Sun Devils ultimately won 4-2.
Happy Mother's Day and Go Beavers!