Creighton Delivers the Knockout Punch, Winning 4-1

Beaver baseball’s season ends on a sour note as Creighton defeated them 4-1 Saturday afternoon. Oregon State will very likely be the only national seed (top-16 host schools) to go 0-2, at home to end their season.

Perhaps the best moment of the game came in the bottom of the 8th, when Adley Rutschman stepped up to the plate. In what many recognized was likely Rutschman’s final collegiate at-bat, Adley crushed the ball to the deepest part of the park before Creighton’s center fielder was able to track it down at the warning track. The Beaver crowd gave Adley Rutschman a standing ovation and later cheered on Zak Taylor’s base-hit (who’s struggled at the plate as a senior). Excellent showing from the Beaver faithful despite a disappointing weekend. Here’s how the Beavers season ended Saturday.

Grant Gambrell took the mound and was shaky early, but still mostly effective. He gave up 5 hits in 4.1 innings of work. In a repeat of Friday’s contest the Beavers did themselves no favors defensively. Oregon State was tagged with three errors and ended the game with just four hits. Not going to win many baseball games that way.

Dylan Pearce pitched four impressive innings, giving up just one unearned run (a wild pick-off attempt to third base, but probably should have been caught). Pearce gave way to Jake Mulholland who finished the top of the 9th with ease.

Zak Taylor and Alex McGarry provided all of the offense for the Beavs with 2 hits apiece. Taylor also had an impressive double-play on a line drive catch and throw to second in the 9th inning. For a moment there, Creighton left the door open as a failed double-play would have ended the game, but instead both runners were safe due to the error. It was not destined to be another Arkansas-level blunder though, because the very next batter gave them a second chance and they converted the double-play with ease.

As disappointing a postseason (and some would argue season) that Oregon State Baseball just had, I was still impressed with several players and happy they landed a top 16-seed for the postseason tournament. Adley Rutschman was the greatest college baseball player I’ve ever seen play at Oregon State and I’m excited to watch his career at the next level. The Beavers suffered countless injuries especially to pitchers and now they’ll have the offseason to rehab and hopefully get healthy.

The biggest question weighing on the program is what will Pat Casey do? He still has the option of returning to his head coaching role and the team and staff would welcome him back with open arms. If Pat Casey does not return I think the Beaver’s need to name their next head coach and not go through another season with an “interim head coach”.