Oregon State Baseball: Beavers Take Down Xavier 13-3

The Oregon State baseball team is back in action in Surprise, Arizona. This weekend they’re taking on the Xavier Musketeers in a four game series, and if Game 1 was anything to go buy, it should be another high scoring weekend for the Beavers. Oregon State poured on runs early, running away with a 13-3 win to improve to 5-0 on the season.

Oregon State wasted no time in taking control of the game. After a quick top of the first, in the bottom of the inning Wade Meckler hit a single on Trevor Olson’s first pitch of the day. Travis Bazzana then reached bases on balls, and was followed by Justin Boyd hitting a single to load the bases. What happened next? A bases clearing grand slam from Jacob Melton. In almost no time, the Beavers were up 4-0.

The Musketeers got a run back in the top of the second with a Jared Cushing double. They added another in the third, off of a single from Tyler Demartino. With their lead cut to just two, the Beavers were looking for a way to reassert their control of the game. It didn’t take them long.

The bottom of the third started with Garret Forrester being hit with a pitch, and then Jacob Melton hit his second home run of the day to score two for OSU. The Beavers then loaded the bases thanks to a Matthew Gretler single, a Tanner Smith walk and Kyle Dernedde being hit by a pitch. That set up Wade Meckler, who hit a single to right field to score another two runs. Travis Bazzana added one more with a sacrifice fly, and at the end of the third, the Beavers were up 9-2.

Xavier threatened to rally again in the top of the fifth, a pair of doubles from Garret Schultz and Jack Housinger gave the Musketeers another run. With two on and one out, the Beavers managed to turn a 6-4-3 double play and end the inning. Oregon State immediately got their run back, with a Tanner Smith homer leading off the bottom of the fifth.

The Beavers added another in the fifth when a wild pitch scored Kyle Dernedde. In the sixth Xavier’s pitcher, Dorsey Chatham, loaded the bases and walked in a run. A sac fly from Brady Kasper added one more in the bottom of the seventh, putting the Beavers up 13-3.

That would be the final, as Xavier could not mount an offensive attack in the eighth or ninth. Ryan Brown picked up the win for Oregon State, after coming in as relief in the fourth inning. He pitched for two inings, allowing 2 hits and one earned run, with one walk and one strikeout.

Jacob Melton was the obvious offensive standout for Oregon State, with 2 home runs, 3 hits and 6 runs batted in today.Tanner Smith also had a fantastic day, with 3 hits, 2 runs and an RBI.

Game 2 between the Beavers and Musketeers is set for noon tomorrow.