OSU Completes Sweep of the Arizona Wildcats

Following two games of heart stopping, late inning drama, OSU and Arizona battled in a high scoring affair with the Beavs picking up the 11-7 victory at Goss Stadium. The win marked the first time a Pac-12 team has swept both Arizona schools in the same season since Stanford accomplished the feat in 1999.

The Oregon State bats got to work early with 3 runs in the 1st inning off of Arizona starter, with a single by Jack Anderson, back to back RBI doubles from KJ Harrison and Trevor Larnach and an RBI single from Andy Atwood. The Beavs tacked on 2 more in the fourth to knock Arizona starter Rio Gomez out of the game and give the Beavs a 5-0 lead. OSU starter Jake Thompson breezed through the first four innings with the aid of some great defense and a pair of double plays. Arizona, who came into this weekend as the best offensive team in the nation, finally got the bats going against Thompson in the 5th frame, scoring 3 runs and ending Jake Thompson’s day. The OSU bats, however, did not slow as they posted another run in the 5th, 3 more in the 6th, and 2 in the 7th to push their lead to 11-3. Arizona rallied in the 8th inning, sending 9 men to the plate and picking up 4 runs to narrow the OSU lead to 11-7. The Wildcats were unable to do anything in the 9th against reliever Jake Mulholland, and the Beavs completed the sweep of #9 Arizona.

On the day the Beavers scattered 15 hits up and down the lineup. Left fielder Jack Anderson set a career high with 3 hits while KJ Harrison got 3 hits of his own and sophomore Elliot Cary picked up 2 extra base hits and 3 RBI’s. Jake Thompson went 4.2 giving up 4 hits 3 runs (2 earned) while walking 4 and striking out 6 Wildcat batters. OSU Freshman Brandon Eisert went 2.1 innings while picking up the win and striking out a career high 5 batters. Grant Gambrell and Mitchell Verburg pitched for Pat Casey in the 8th and Jake Mulholland shut the door in the 9th striking out all 3 batters he faced.

OSU will head to California this week, as they play at St. Mary’s on Tuesday and head to Stanford for a 3 game set with the Cardinal beginning Friday.