Beavers Score Five In Eighth To Down Winthrop

Friday, March 2

Surprise, Ariz. (Stadium)

10:00 AM

Oregon State

6-4

Winthrop

1-9

Winthrop

Oregon State

March 02, 2012 | Baseball

Box Score

By: TBD

March 2, 2012

Box Score

SURPRISE, Ariz. - The freshman tandem of Dylan Davis and Michael Conforto helped the Oregon State baseball team snap a 4-4 tie in the eighth inning in the Beavers' 9-4 win over Winthrop Friday at Surprise Stadium.

Conforto drew a four-pitch walk from Winthrop reliever Michael Gilroy in the eighth with the bases loaded for the go-ahead run. Davis then drove a single down the left field line, scoring two, to highlight the Beavers' five-run inning that sent them to their sixth win of the season (6-4 overall).

The Beavers scored five runs in the eighth to break the game open, with Dunn contributing his second of two sacrifice flies on the day. OSU also scored on an error from a Danny Hayes sacrifice bunt.

Conforto saw his hit streak snapped at five games but the starting right fielder walked twice. Davis, meanwhile, posted his third multi-hit game of the season and finished 2-for-5.

The Beavers' rapped out 10 hits as a team with Davis, Ryan Barnes and Jake Rodriguez tying for the team lead with two apiece. Conforto, Davis and Ryan Dunn all drove in two.

Tony Bryant, who came on in the eighth and forced Winthrop to strand runners on the corners, got the win to improve to 2-0 this season.

Gilroy gave up three hits and five runs in one inning of work and took the loss for Winthrop (1-9), dropping to 0-1 this season.

The teams traded runs in the bottom half of the seventh and top of the eighth. The Beavers snapped a 3-3 tie when Ryan Dunn hit a sac fly in the seventh, but the Eagles managed to tie it in the eighth when Matt Lobacz grounded out to second, scoring Jason Driver.

The Beavers held a 3-0 advantage after six innings but Winthrop tied the game with three runs in the top of the seventh. Patrick Gamblin tied the game with a single that hit OSU starter Dan Child and deflected into right center. Max Gordon made a heads up play and forced Gamblin out at second as he went for a double but not before the Eagles managed to score two to tie the game.

Rodriguez put the Beavers on the board in the second. Dunn hit a two-out double down the left field line and scored when Rodriguez, the next batter, singled sharply to left off Winthrop starter Eric Ruth.

Oregon State added to the lead in the third when Conforto flew out to deep center for a sacrifice fly that scored John Tommasini, who had walked earlier in the inning.

The Beavers added another run in the sixth, scoring when Gordon, pinch hitting for Joey Matthews, executed a squeeze that enabled Hayes to score from third.

Child made his third start of the season and worked a career-long seven innings. He gave up three hits and three runs - all of which were unearned. He struck out a career-best eight while issuing two walks.

Child did not get the decision.

Ruth went 5 1/3 innings in the start for Winthrop, and did not figure in the decision after the Eagles tied the game in the seventh. The righty allowed five hits and three runs while walking five and striking out five.

The Beavers play their third game in Arizona Saturday when taking on Saint Louis at 10 a.m. PT (11 a.m. in Arizona). Catch the game live on the Beaver Sports Radio Network and Beaver Nation Online (osubeavers.com).

Note, for fans living the Corvallis region, the game will air on KTHH 990-AM due to a conflict with the men's basketball game.

For more information on the Oregon State baseball team, follow the club's official Twitter account at Twitter.com/Beaver_Baseball.

OSU Notes: Oregon State was designated as the home team for the first time this season ... The Beavers wore their crème uniforms.

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