Baseball Defeats Portland 8-1
PORTLAND, Ore. - Ben Bertrand homered, doubled and drove in three runs and five Oregon State pitchers combined on a four-hitter as the Beavers beat Portland 8-1 in non-league baseball Wednesday afternoon at Pilot Stadium. OSU (16-7-1 overall, 1-2 Pacific-10 Northern Division) has now won four straight games and 10 of its last 12. "We showed some life," Bertrand said. "We would have liked to score a few more runs and play better, but it's good to get a win before a league game and get our confidence up."
The Beavers return to Northern Division play this weekend against Portland State. The teams will play a single game Friday at 2 p.m. at Coleman Field; a doubleheader Saturday at noon at Portland Civic Stadium; and a single game at 1 p.m. Sunday at Coleman Field.
Against Portland (7-16 overall, 1-9 West Coast), Oregon State had 10 hits, the first time the Beavers had broken into double-digits in that category in eight games. OSU took early control with a six-run second inning; Bertrand's two-out, two-run double to right-center field capped that inning.
Rob Colley had a two-run single in the inning, Ryan Lipe drove in another run with a single and Corrie Willkie had a sacrifice fly. Bertrand finished Oregon State's scoring with a home run that cleared the scoreboard in left-center field to lead off the seventh inning. He's now 5-for-14 with two homers, five RBIs and four walks in Oregon State's last four games.
"I'm starting to feel a little better at the plate," Bertrand said. "I was struggling before the Arizona series (last weekend), but now I'm seeing the ball well again and getting my stroke back."
Mike Boire, Don Stykel, Val Mencas, Paul Hansen and Jason Bronson teamed up to pitch the four-hitter for the Beavers. Boire, making his first start in almost two years, got the win for going 3.0 hitless, scoreless innings, not walking a hitter and striking out three.
"Our staff is as deep as anyone's right now," said Bertrand, who caught the game. "We've got the arms to play with the best." Drew Hedges was 2-for-4 for Oregon State, which had eight players collect hits in the game.
