Recap: Beavers Look Like Champions, Beat Gonzaga 9-3

After a shaky start to the season in their comeback win against New Mexico, the Beavers got back in the business of being one of the best teams in the nation with a big win over Gonzaga.

For the second game in a row, the Beavers got off to a rough start. In the 2nd Inning, Bulldogs DH Ryan Sullivan blasted a Bryce Fehmel fast ball out of the yard for a solo home run. Fortunately for the Beavers, that would be the only Hit Fehmel gave up all day.

In the Bottom of the Fourth, the Beaver bats woke up. A single from Alex McGarry drove in 2 runs (one unearned). Zak Taylor added one more run in the inning, with a sac fly, and the Beavers turned an 0-1 deficit into a 3-1 lead.

Adley Rutschman did his thing in the sixth, belting out a solo home run. Alex McGarry decided he wasn’t done for the day, and hit a big single into center field that he stretched into a double, driving in one run. Zak Taylor finished the inning’s scoring with another sac fly, bringing in a run, and getting the Beavs a 6-1 lead.

The Beavers new shortstop, Beau Philip, finished up the days scoring with a big 3 run homer in the eighth, scoring Adley Rutschman and Zak Taylor. If you weren’t excited about Philip before, now’s the time to get on the hype train.

Gonzaga wasn’t quite done; they managed a couple runs in the top of the ninth off a Slade Heggen double, but it wasn’t nearly enough to get them back in the ball game. The Beavers improve to 2-0 with the 9-3 win.

Despite giving up the home run in the second, Bryce Fehmel had a hell of a game. Two more Bulldogs reached the bases in the fourth, off a fielding error and a fielder’s choice, but after that Fehmel was just about perfect, allowing no further baserunners while he was on the mound. He struck out 3, gave up no walks, and allowed only the one run and one hit.

In relief, Joey Mundt fared worse. Mundt gave up 2 walks, and 1 hit, allowing 2 runs.

Alex McGarry has had quite the start to his Oregon State career. Today he finished with 3 hits and 3 RBIs. He wasn’t the only one doing work. Beau Philip also had 3 hits and 3 RBI, with all those runs coming on that big homer in the eighth. Adley Rutschman’s reputation obviously precedes him; he was walked twice, and when Gonzaga’s pitcher tried to get something by him, he delivered one of the solo homers we’ve come to know him for.

Tomorrow, the Beavers will take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers in a rematch of last year’s Corvallis Superregional. First pitch is at 12:00.