PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — While the 15th-ranked Oregon State baseball squad has relied on timely hitting for much of the season, it was the Beavers pitching staff that came through on Tuesday against the University of Portland.
OSU (34-14, 16-11 Pac-12) had eight pitchers combine to strike out 13 batters and give up just five hits as the Beavers took down the Pilots (24-19, 13-8 WCC) by a score of 4-2 at Ron Tonkin Field in Hillsboro.
The game was scoreless until the top of the sixth when Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana launched a solo homer to put the Beavers up 1-0.
A sacrifice fly from Tanner Smith in the top of the seventh increased the OSU lead to 2-0. The Beavs tacked on a pair of insurance runs to go up 4-0 in the ninth.
Portland was held scoreless through eight innings but rallied to plate a pair of runs in the ninth on a two-run double from Briley Knight. The Pilots brought the tying run to the plate with no one out, but OSU closer Ryan Brown struck out the next three hitters to seal the victory.
The two teams will play again in Corvallis on Tuesday, May 16.