Eckert Tosses First Career Complete Game In Opener
May 21, 2016 | Baseball
LOS ANGELES – Travis Eckert was perfect through 6 2/3 innings and held USC to two hits and a run in a complete game effort as Oregon State won the series opener at Dedeaux Field, 3-1, on Friday night.
Eckert faced one batter over the minimum, struck out five and walked one over 111 pitches. The complete game, the first of his career, surpassed his previous long of 8 2/3 innings against Utah last season.
The righty retired the first 20 Trojans he faced before Timmy Robinson blooped a single to center. Robinson, however, took a long turn at first and was put out on a 4-6-3 effort to end the frame.
Eckert's lone blemish came in the eighth when Jeremy Martinez homered to open the inning. The senior, however, set USC down in order from there on in the inning.
Eckert's lone walk came in the ninth but he spun a 4-6-3 double play off the bat of David Edson to end the game. Edson was the only USC (24-26 overall, 12-13 Pac-12 Conference) batter to record four at bats.
The masterpiece netted Eckert the win, pushing him to 6-4 on the year.
Eckert received all the support he needed in Oregon State's (31-18, 12-13) three-run fifth inning. Three straight hits off the bats of Trever Morrison, Cadyn Grenier and Christian Donahue scored three runs to put the Beavers up on the Trojans.
Morrison opened the game's scoring with a bloop double down the left field line off USC starter Joe Navilhon, enabling Billy King, who had singled earlier, to score.
Grenier singled on the first pitch he saw to drive in Navilhon, scoring Morrison. Grenier then scored when Donahue doubled down the left field line on a 2-0 pitch.
Logan Ice finished with two hits to pace the Beavers, who tallied seven off Navilhon. He took the loss after allowing three runs in 7 1/3 innings to drop to 5-4.
The teams continue the series Saturday with a 1:05 p.m. PT first pitch at Dedeaux Field. The game can be seen live on Pac-12 Network and Pac-12 Oregon.
For more information on the Oregon State baseball team, follow the club's official Twitter account at Twitter.com/Beaver_Baseball, by Facebook at Facebook.com/OregonStateBaseball or on Instagram at Instagram.com/BeaverBaseball.
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