Oregon State Bats Explode, Beavers Beat Gonzaga 20-4

Oregon State’s hitting put on quite a display today, with the Beavers pouring in runs in the sixth inning to absolutely destroy the Gonzaga Bulldogs. The Beavers move above .500 for the first time this season, with a 2-1 record.

Preston Jones got the Beavers started quickly, hitting a triple in Oregon State’s first at bat of the game. After a Ryan Ober walk, a Troy Claunch single scored Jones a couple batters later to give the Beavers the lead. A Joe Casey home run then scored Claunch and Ober, and the Beavers were off to the races.

Jones led off the bottom of the second with another triple, and Ryan Ober brought him home with a single to give the Beavers a 5-0 lead. The Beavers added a few more in the bottom of the sixth, first when a Troy Claunch single scored Preston Jones, and late a wild pitch brought Ryan Ober home.

Things started to get away from starting pitcher Jake Pfennigs in the fifth, as four straight singles to open the inning got Gonzaga on the scoreboard. A grounder, followed by a double, added two more runs, and suddenly the Bulldogs were back in the game. Jack Washburn came in as relief to close out the inning, with the game now 7-4.

In the sixth Oregon State got those runs back and then some. After two walks and a single loaded up the bases, an Andy Armstrong double scored 3. A Ryan Ober single added two more, and then a Wade Meckler doubled added another two. Troy Claunch added 2 more with a single. Dukart added another run with a single, and Matthew Gretler tacked on two with a triple. A Kyle Froemke single added one more, giving the Beavers their 20th run, and 13th of the inning.

Things slowed down after that, with Oregon State switching out much of the batting order. Gonzaga couldn’t get anything on the board for the rest of the game, and things finished in a 20-4 OSU win.

Jake Pfennigs looks solid in his first win this season. He threw for 4.1 innings, and was doing well until the four run fifth inning. He finished with 7 hits, 4 earned runs, 1 walk and 2 strikeouts.

Preston Jones had an unbelievable day, with 4 hits in 4 plate appearances, alongside 3 walks. 2 of those hits were triples, and he finished with four runs.

The Beavers will finish up their open weekend tomorrow, with a rematch with New Mexico set for 2:00 PM PT. The Beavers took down the Lobos 14-1 in their meeting Saturday.