Beavers Beaten By Big Innings
February 19, 2000 | Baseball
Feb. 19, 2000
FRESNO, Calif. - A pair of big innings cost Oregon State as the Beavers fell to Fresno State 9-4 in non-league baseball Saturday afternoon at Beiden Field. OSU (1-4 overall, 0-0 Pacific-10) gave up our runs in the second inning and five in the seventh against the Bulldogs (7-2, 0-0 Western Athletic), who won their seventh straight game.
The three-game series concludes Sunday at 1 p.m., and the game can be heard on KLOO-AM (1340). Oregon State will be trying to carry over momentum from Saturday's final inning, when the Beavers scored all four of their runs.
"I think that last inning was important," OSU coach Pat Casey said. "We swung the bats well and we stayed with it ... I was glad to see that we didn't just roll over."
FSU reliever Nick Moran alternated walks to Brian Barden and Drew Hedges with strikeouts of Rod Gott and Zach Gordon to put runners at first and second with two out in the ninth, then Tim Dryden singled to left-center to drive in the Beavers' first run of the day. Eric Stark followed with a two-run double to left-center and Moran was done, Bryan Ingram greeted Bulldog reliever Mike Hernandez with a run-scoring single to left that made it 9-4 before Hernandez retired pinch hitter Curtis Davis to end the game.
The Beavers had come up empty on several previous scoring chances, including grounding into three double plays in the first six innings. OSU's best opportunity, though, came when it was still a 4-0 game in the bottom of the fourth inning against Fresno State starter Shawn Hannah.
Joe Gerber led off with a walk and Andy Jarvis singled, then Brian Barden's sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third with one out. Gott popped to second base for the second out.
Jackson Coleman walked to load the bases and bring Zach Gordon to the plate representing the tying run, and Gordon drove the ball deep to left-center field. However, FSU leftfielder Anthony Acevedo was able to run it down on the warning track to end the inning.
"We got ourselves in some situations to make a little run, and we didn't get it done," Casey said. "But Fresno State is playing good defense right now and pitching well."
The Bulldogs got their four second-inning runs against OSU starter Scott Nicholson, who only lasted 2 1/3 innings as he gave up three hits and two walks while striking out two. Freshman righthander Chris Wilkins then pitched four scoreless innings to keep the Beavers in the game, giving up two hits and four walks while striking out two.
Wilkins was one of seven freshmen OSU used during the day, including three pitchers and three players in the starting lineup.
"Those guys just have to learn to play, and play on the road, and play in tough environments," Casey said. "When you play seven freshmen on the road against a good program, you're going to have to have some things go your way and, right now, they're not."
Hannah earned the win for Fresno State, going seven scoreless innings and allowing three hits and three walks while striking out seven. The Bulldogs put the game away for him in the bottom of the seventh, scoring five times against OSU relievers Mark McLemore and Stephen Copeland.
Stark and Ingram, the two hitters at the top of the Beavers' order, both extended their hitting streaks to five games. Ingram went 2-for-5 on the day and is now batting .526 with three doubles. Gerber and Barden had their hitting streaks snapped at four games.
FRESNO STATE 9, OREGON STATE 4
Oregon State 000 000 004 - 4 7 0 Fresno State 040 000 50x - 9 9 2Nicholson, Wilkins (3), McLemore (7), Copeland (7) and Ingram. Hannah, Moran (8), Hernandez (9) and Harper. WP-Hannah (2-1). LP-Nicholson (0-2). 2B-Stark (OSU), Ingram (OSU), T. Creighton (FSU), Labandeira (FSU), Bowlin 2 (FSU). HR-Tafoya (FSU).
HITS: Oregon State 7 (Stark 1x4, Ingram 2x5, Jarvis 1x4, Gott 1x4, Gordon 1x3, Dryden 1x1), Fresno State 9 (T. Creighton 1x5, Labandeira 2x5, Acevedo 3x4, Bowlin 2x2, Tafoya 1x2). RUNS BATTED IN: Oregon State 4 (Stark 2, Ingram 1, Dryden 1), Fresno State 9 (T. Creighton 2, Gemoll 1, Bowlin 4, Tafoya 2).
