Beavers Back Home To Play Arizona
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31 Oregon State 25, at Portland 4 FRIDAY, APRIL 2 Arizona at Oregon State; 5 p.m. (Television: Tape delayed on Fox Sports Net on Sunday at 5 p.m. Radio: Live on KEJO-AM 1240. Live stats and audio: www.osubeavers.com) SATURDAY, APRIL 3 Arizona at Oregon State; 1 p.m. (Radio: Live on KEJO-AM 1240. Live stats and audio: www.osubeavers.com) SUNDAY, APRIL 4 Arizona at Oregon State; 1 p.m. (Radio: Live on KEJO-AM 1240. Live stats and audio: www.osubeavers.com)
LITTLE LEAGUE WEEKEND, SPONSORED BY RESER'S FINE FOODS: Youth baseball and softball teams are invited to attend this weekend's games, and all youth players wearing their uniform to the ballpark will be admitted for $2.
A battle of Pacific-10 leaders, with first place in the conference on the line.
Technically speaking, that's what will go on at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field this weekend when Oregon State (17-7 overall, 2-1 Pacific-10) greets Arizona (13-11-1, 2-1) for a series with games Friday at 5 p.m., Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
True, the Beavers - who went on the road to beat Portland 25-4 on Wednesday - and Wildcats share the Pac-10 lead with Washington, but we're not exactly at the pennant race stage here.
"I don't think that's an issue after three games," OSU head coach Pat Casey said. "I just know that Arizona has a very good club; they were ranked 16th in the country before the season, and we have to come out and be as good as we can possibly be to have an opportunity to be in the series. I felt like we played well at California and I feel our guys are starting to get better."
Both the Beavers and Wildcats drew votes in this week's Sports Weekly/ESPN coaches poll but neither cracked the top 25; OSU had the 34th-best vote total and Arizona the 35th-best. And Fox Sports Net will air Friday's game nationally on a delayed basis, with broadcast in the Pacific Northwest on Sunday at 5 p.m.
As for the series, it likely boils down to what has been the Beavers' mantra since the preseason - throw the ball and catch the ball. OSU ranked second in the Pac-10 in team earned run average going into the week, and the Beavers have played errorless defense in their last three games and five of their last seven.
"It's all going to come down to pitching and playing defense," Casey said. "And if our arms come out and give us a chance I think we'll be fine. Then we've got to pick it up and throw it across the diamond, and that's never going to change.
"But Arizona is going to be a very, very good club; they're going to be as good as anybody in the Pac-10 and we have to play as well as we can possibly play in order for it to happen."
After opening the Pac-10 season last weekend at California - and winning two of three games from the Golden Bears - the Beavers return to Goss Stadium at Coleman Field, where they've averaged over 1,000 fans per home date this season. The sunny weather forecast for the weekend means the Beavers could welcome more big crowds for the series against the Wildcats.
"It'd be awesome," Casey said. "Hopefully we get some good weather and come out and play the way we're capable of playing."
Added junior outfielder Aaron Mathews, "This could be an amazing weekend. There could be a lot of people around, and hopefully we get the job done."
Arizona took two of three games from Washington State last weekend in Tucson, winning 8-7, losing 10-4 and winning 11-3. At the plate, the Wildcats have been led by junior catcher Richard Mercado (.389 batting average, 0 homers, 4 RBIs), freshman outfielder Bill Rhinehart (.383, 3, 14), sophomore first baseman Jordan Brown (.370, 0, 13), senior infielder Moises Duran (.333, 2, 18), junior first baseman/outfielder Pat Reilly (.333, 3, 9) and freshman infielder Jason Donald (.321, 5, 23). On the mound, Arizona is expected to start junior righthander Koley Kolberg (3-2 record, 3.27 earned run average) on Friday and sophomore righthander Kevin Guyette (4-3, 5.72) on Saturday, with Sunday's starter to be announced.
OREGON STATE LINEUP:
C - Paul Richie, sr.; Kelso, Wash. (Kelso HS); .349, 1 HR, 17 RBIs or - Billy Munich, so.; El Macero, Calif. (Jesuit HS); .097, 0 HRs, 4 RBIs 1B - Andy Jenkins, jr.; Salem, Ore. (Mt. Hood CC); .329, 5 HRs, 22 RBIs 2B - Chris Kunda, so.; Philomath, Ore. (Philomath HS); .242, 0 HRs, 10 RBIs or - Chad Schroeder, fr.; Everett, Wash. (Cascade HS); .318, 0 HRs, 1 RBI 3B - Shea McFeely, so.; Federal Way, Wash. (Tacoma CC); .368, 4 HRs, 29 RBIs SS - Tony Calderon, so.; Orange, Calif. (Santa Ana JC); .210, 1 HR, 16 RBIs LF - Mike Lissman, fr.; Ontario, Ore. (Ontario HS); .390, 2 HRs, 15 RBIs or - Tyler Graham, so.; Great Falls, Mont. (C.M. Russell HS); .267, 0 HRs, 2 RBIs RF - Jacoby Ellsbury, so.; Madras, Ore. (Madras HS); .426, 2 HRs, 9 RBIs CF - Aaron Mathews, jr.; John Day, Ore. (Grant Union HS); .362, 3 HRs, 26 RBIs DH - Chris Campos, jr.; Modesto, Calif. (Modesto JC); .309, 3 HRs, 18 RBIs or - Mike Hass, sr.; Redmond, Wash. (U. of Nevada); .318, 2 HRs, 11 RBIs (Tentative pitching rotation) LHP - Jake Postlewait, sr.; Corvallis, Ore. (Corvallis HS); 6-0 record, 3.07 ERA RHP - Andy Baldwin, so.; Hood River, Ore. (Hood River Valley HS); 4-3 record, 4.75 ERA RHP - Dallas Buck, fr.; Newberg, Ore. (Newberg HS); 1-2 record, 3.86 ERA
OREGON STATE ALL-TIME VS. THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS: After Tuesday's 25-4 win, Oregon State has an all-time record of 134-57 against Portland in a series dating back to 1909. The Beavers are on a 10-game winning streak against the Pilots, including wins last season by scores of 13-6, 9-0 and 18-6 in Portland, 10-1 in Corvallis, 14-4 in Portland and 4-3 in Corvallis.
Oregon State has an all-time record of 12-17 against Arizona in a series dating back to 1963. Last season in Tucson, Arizona took 2 of 3 games, winning 20-6 and 9-4 before OSU won the finale 13-12. The last time the teams met in Corvallis was in 2002, as OSU took 2 of 3 games, losing the series opener 13-9 before winning 2-1 and 5-0. OSU also won the other 2 series between the teams in Corvallis, OSU taking 2 of 3 games in 2000 and sweeping 3 games in 1998.
OREGON STATE'S LATEST GAMES: Oregon State began its week a day later than planned. The Beavers' game at Portland was rained out on Tuesday and rescheduled for Wednesday, when the Beavers won 25-4 at Pilot Stadium. Shea McFeely homered, doubled and drove in 8 runs; 8 pitchers combined on a 6-hitter for OSU, which also sent 16 different players to the plate and saw 12 of them get a hit. OSU broke the game open with a 9-run second inning, taking advantage of 6 walks in the inning and 3 hits, including Andy Jenkins' 2-run homer. The Beavers scored in 8 of 9 innings, had 4 home runs among their season-high 21 hits, and put up their highest run total since a 27-4 win at Washington early in the 2000 season. McFeely was just 1 RBI away from matching Ken Bowen's school record of 9, set in a 36-12 win at Chico State in 1985. Aaron Mathews was 4-for-7 with a home run, a double and matched his career high with 5 RBIs. For the second time this season, he had a chance to hit for the cycle, needing a triple when he went to the plate in the eighth and ninth innings, but he came up with a two-run single up the middle and a lineout to leftfield. Jonah Nickerson allowed 1 hit and no runs in the first 2.2 innings for the win.
Last weekend, OSU started Pacific-10 play by taking a series at California. OSU won the opener 15-5, lost the second game 11-5 and then won the finale 14-3 at Evans Diamond.
On March 26, Jake Postlewait pitched his sixth win of the season as Oregon State beat California 15-5. Paul Richie was 3-for-5 with 3 RBIs for OSU, which took control with a 5-run third inning. Postlewait pitched out of trouble several times early to improve to 6-0 this season; he won for the 11th time in 12 decisions over the last 2 seasons. The Beavers were knocking out 13 hits against 5 Cal pitchers and beat sophomore righthander Adam Gold, who had brought a 4-2 record and 2.34 earned run average into the game. In the first inning, Cal put runners at second and third with 1 out but couldn't score. After OSU took a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the fourth inning, the Bears threatened to get back in the game as they got runners to second and third with none out, but Postlewait got Brian Horwitz to fly out to shallow centerfield, retired James Holder on a tapper back to the mound and finished the inning by sneaking a called third strike past Brett Munster. In the third inning, Aaron Mathews and Shea McFeely had RBI singles to start OSU's scoring, then Mike Hass added a 2-run double down the leftfield line and Andy Jenkins chipped in another run-scoring single. Hass' double was OSU's only extra-base hit of the game, but McFeely was 2-for-3, Jenkins 2-for-5 and Mathews 2-for-6 for the Beavers.
On March 27, Oregon State jumped out to a quick 5-run lead but California responded with a 5-run first inning of its own, then scored 6 in the third inning for an 11-5 win. OSU scored 5 unearned runs in the first inning off Cal starter Mike Padgett. But the Beavers couldn't cross the plate the rest of the day, while OSU righthander Andy Baldwin allowed 9 runs on 7 hits and 3 walks before leaving the game in the third inning. OSU picked up its first-inning runs on 4 hits and 2 Cal errors. Jacoby Ellsbury started the inning with a single; with the bases loaded, Mike Hass was hit by a pitch to force in a run, Andy Jenkins walked to force in another, then Paul Richie's infield single drove in 1 run and another scored on an error on the play to make it 4-0. Chris Kunda added a single through the left side to drive in the final run of the inning. But Cal responded as Allen Craig led off with a double down the leftfield line and Baldwin walked David Nicholson. After a hit batter, a sacrifice fly and a run-scoring single, Brian Horwitz evened the game with a 3-run homer to left. The Bears took control of the game in the third, scoring 6 times on just 3 hits as Baldwin and Kyle Aselton combined to walk 3 hitters. The big hit was Nicholson's 2-out, 3-run triple down the leftfield line that made it 11-5. Jonah Nickerson pitched 2.0 scoreless innings and Ben Rowe one in relief for OSU, but the Beavers couldn't push through a rally to close the gap. Richie was 2-for-2, Kunda 2-for-3, and Ellsbury and Aaron Mathews were both 2-for-5 for OSU.
On March 28, OSU freshmen Dallas Buck, Kevin Gunderson and Jake McCormick combined to pitch a 5-hitter as the Beavers beat California 14-3. Chris Campos was 4-for-6 with a home run and 6 RBIs for Oregon State, which scored in each of the first 5 innings. Oregon State picked up 2 runs in the first inning against starter Matt Brown and then tacked on 4 unearned runs in the second inning for a 6-0 lead. OSU had an 8-0 lead before the Bears got their first hit off Buck, who was making his first start after beginning the season as the closer and earning 5 saves. Buck went 5.1 innings, allowing 2 runs on 2 hits and 3 walks while striking out 3; he didn't allow a hit until Justin Nelson's 2-out homer in the bottom of the fourth made it 8-1. OSU had sent Buck to the mound with a 2-0 lead as Campos singled home 1 run and another scored on a double play. In the second, Brown retired the first two OSU hitters but Chris Kunda reached on an error; that opened the way for a six-run inning that included Mike Lissman's 2-run double and Campos' 2-run homer. OSU had 16 hits, reaching season-highs with 4 home runs and 33 total bases. Jacoby Ellsbury added a 3-for-4 day with a triple, 2 walks and 4 runs scored. Tony Calderon was 3-for-5 with a double and his first homer of the season, while Jenkins had his team-leading fourth homer of the year and Mathews hit his second. Gunderson worked 3.0 innings, giving up 1 run on 2 hits and 1 walk while striking out 3. McCormick got the final 2 outs.
OREGON STATE NOTES: Oregon State recently announced 2 changes in its 2004 schedule. The Beavers' home game against Sonoma State that had been scheduled for Monday, April 5, has been cancelled; OSU's home game against Washington on Saturday, May 1, has been changed to a 4 p.m. start to allow fans to see that day's OSU Spring Football Game at 1 p.m. and then the baseball game ... by playing errorless defense in their last 2 games at California, OSU climbed from eighth place in fielding percentage among Pacific-10 teams to sixth place. The Beavers had been last in the conference 3 weeks ago ... Oregon State jumped from an eighth-place tie to fifth place in the Pac-10 in team home runs when the Beavers hit 4 in the final game of their series at California on March 28 ... when Oregon State played California on March 27, it was the 3,000th game on the Beavers' all-time varsity baseball record; OSU lost 11-5. Through 3,000 games, Oregon State's all-time record was 1,762-1,223-15 since starting the sport in 1907 ...
Sophomore outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury leads the Beavers with 16 multi-hit games this season, followed by junior outfielder Aaron Mathews with 11, sophomore third baseman Shea McFeely and junior first baseman Andy Jenkins with 9 each, and freshman outfielder Mike Lissman and senior catcher Paul Richie with 6 each ... Mathews, Calderon and Jenkins share the team lead with 6 multi-RBI games each, while McFeely has 5 and Lissman and junior outfielder Chris Campos have 4 each ... Ellsbury has OSU's longest current hitting streak at 13 games, followed by McFeely at 6 games and Jenkins at 5 games. Ellsbury's 13-game streak is the Beavers' longest of the season; Mathews and McFeely have both had 9-gamers, Richie a 7-gamer, Lissman a 6-gamer and Jenkins a 5-gamer ... last week, senior catcher Paul Richie led OSU's hitters by batting .714 (5-for-7) with 4 RBIs. Sophomore outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury batted .429 (6-for-14) with 1 triple; junior first baseman Andy Jenkins batted .417 (5-for-12) with 1 homer and 3 RBIs; junior outfielder Chris Campos batted .385 (5-for-13) with 1 homer and 6 RBIs; and sophomore third baseman Shea McFeely batted .364 (4-for-11) with 1 double and 5 RBIs ...
OSU had hit just 15 homers through its first 22 games; the Beavers then hit 4 per game in back-to-back games against California and Portland on March 28-March 31 ... Oregon State's 25 runs against Portland in a 25-4 win on March 31 was the Beavers' highest total since a 27-4 win at Washington early in the 2000 season. McFeely's 8 RBIs in that game were just 1 RBI away from the school record of 9 set by Ken Bowen in a 36-12 win at Chico State in 1985 ... Mike Hass' 3-run pinch-hit homer in a 25-4 win at Portland on March 31 was the Beavers' first pinch-hit homer since Jason McBride's drive against Washington in a 17-3 home win early in the 2001 season ... OSU got through its 6 home games in March without a single rain delay at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field and averaged over 1,000 fans per game; we have no idea the last time either of those things could have happened during the month that allegedly comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb but, in Oregon, more often comes in like a lion and goes out like a slightly wetter lion. In fact, an average of 1,003 fans per home date took advantage of 6 mostly-sunny afternoons to watch the Beavers begin their home schedule ... OSU has recorded 2 shutouts this season, both by 7-0 and both on the 20th day of a month - at Texas-Arlington on Feb. 20 and against Utah Valley State on March 20 ... Ellsbury has stolen 3 bases in a game 3 times this season. Prior to that, OSU hadn't had a player steal 3 bases in a game since the opening weekend of the 2001 season. Ellsbury was successful in his first 11 steal attempts of the season ... OSU was the Pacific-10's last unbeaten team in the 2004 season, not losing until Feb. 28 ... OSU's first 10 wins included 3 wins by a 1-run margin and 2 wins by a 2-run margin ... during the first weekend of the season at the Coca-Cola Classic in Surprise, Ariz., OSU used 12 players who made their 4-year college debut, including 8 true freshmen.
OREGON STATE AMONG PACIFIC-10 LEADERS: Here is where Oregon State ranks among the Pacific-10 leaders through March 28:
INDIVIDUAL BATTING 3. Jacoby Ellsbury .418 10. Mike Lissman .375 INDIVIDUAL SLUGGING 8. Shea McFeely .610 10. Chris Campos .585 INDIVIDUAL ON-BASE 5. Chris Campos .513 7. Jacoby Ellsbury .509 9. Mike Lissman .478 10. Shea McFeely .476 INDIVIDUAL RUNS 3. Jacoby Ellsbury 33 INDIVIDUAL HITS 3. Jacoby Ellsbury 41 10. (tie) Aaron Mathews 34 INDIVIDUAL DOUBLES 4. (tie) Shea McFeely 10 9. (tie) Aaron Mathews 8 INDIVIDUAL TRIPLES 1. (tie) Aaron Mathews 3 10. (tie) Jacoby Ellsbury 2 10. (tie) Chris Campos 2 INDIVIDUAL TOTAL BASES 10. (tie) Jacoby Ellsbury 56 INDIVIDUAL HIT BY PITCH 3. (tie) Chris Campos 8 5. (tie) Jacoby Ellsbury 7 7. (tie) Shea McFeely 6 INDIVIDUAL STOLEN BASES 1. Jacoby Ellsbury 12 INDIVIDUAL EARNED RUN AVERAGE 8. Jake Postlewait 3.07 INDIVIDUAL WINS 1. (tie) Jake Postlewait 6 7. (tie) Andy Baldwin 4 7. (tie) Kevin Gunderson 4 INDIVIDUAL SAVES 1. (tie) Dallas Buck 5 INDIVIDUAL APPEARANCES 7. (tie) Dallas Buck 12 INDIVIDUAL FIELDING 1. (tie) Aaron Mathews 1.000 INDIVIDUAL CHANCES 8. Andy Jenkins 187 INDIVIDUAL PUTOUTS 7. Andy Jenkins 173 INDIVIDUAL ASSISTS 9. (tie) Tony Calderon 58 INDIVIDUAL DOUBLE PLAYS 4. Andy Jenkins 21 7. Tony Calderon 19 8. (tie) Chris Kunda 18 TEAM BATTING 3. Oregon State .309 TEAM SLUGGING 6. Oregon State .453 TEAM ON-BASE 2. Oregon State .417 TEAM RUNS 4. Oregon State 185 TEAM HITS 5. Oregon State 251 TEAM RUNS BATTED IN 5. (tie) Oregon State 161 TEAM DOUBLES 5. (tie) Oregon State 42 TEAM TRIPLES 3. (tie) Oregon State 9 TEAM HOME RUNS 5. Oregon State 19 TEAM TOTAL BASES 6. Oregon State 368 TEAM AT-BATS 7. Oregon State 812 TEAM WALKS 4. (tie) Oregon State 116 TEAM HIT BY PITCH 2. Oregon State 40 TEAM STOLEN BASES 5. Oregon State 25 TEAM EARNED RUN AVERAGE 1. Oregon State 3.98 TEAM OPPOSING BATTING 6. Oregon State .272 TEAM INNINGS PITCHED 9. Oregon State 201.1 TEAM STRIKEOUTS 9. Oregon State 144 TEAM WINS 3. Oregon State 16 TEAM SAVES 3. (tie) Oregon State 7 TEAM FIELDING 6. Oregon State .959 TEAM DOUBLE PLAYS 2. Oregon State 30
2004 BEAVERS ON OREGON STATE LISTS: Here are the 2004 Oregon State players on or near the school's all-time top-10 lists for career and single-season leaders through March 31:
CAREER DOUBLES 10. Tim Lambert, 1985-88 34 > Tony Calderon, 2003-present 28 < career="" triples="" 6.="" dave="" backen,="" 1978-81="" 8="" (tie)="" dave="" schoppe,="" 1988-981="" 8="" (tie)="" abino="" vazquez,="" 1996-97="" 8="" 9.="" lute="" barnes,="" 1967-69="" 7="" (tie)="" bob="" beall,="" 1968-70="" 7="" (tie)="" bob="" mcnair,="" 1978-80="" 7="" (tie)="" r.a.="" neitzel,="" 1988-90="" 7=""> Aaron Mathews, 2002-present 6 <> Jacoby Ellsbury, 2003-present 5 < career="" stolen="" bases="" 9.="" quinn="" williams,="" 1983-86="" 35="" (tie)="" jason="" stranberg,="" 1996-98="" 35=""> Jacoby Ellsbury, 2003-present 27 < career="" saves=""> 1. Jared Sanders, 2002-present 12 < 2.="" mike="" boire,="" 1996-98="" 11="" 3.="" jim="" grove,="" 1979-82="" 9=""> 5. Ran Daulton, 1984-86 5 (tie) Tim Lambert, 1985-88 5 (tie) Stephen Copeland, 2000-03 5 (tie) Dallas Buck, 2004-present 5 < 9.="" jeff="" post,="" 1989-92="" 4="" (tie)="" scott="" christman,="" 1991-93="" 4="" (tie)="" mark="" newell,="" 1996-2000="" 4=""> (tie) Andy Baldwin, 2003-present 4 < career="" innings="" 10.="" gail="" meier,="" 1973-76="" 262.2=""> Ben Rowe, 2001-present 231.0 < season="" triples="" 8.="" many="" players="" 4=""> Aaron Mathews, 2004 3 < season="" stolen="" bases="" 10.="" mickey="" riley,="" 1982="" 19="" (tie)="" david="" anderson,="" 1992="" 19=""> Jacoby Ellsbury, 2004 13 < season="" saves="" 1.="">Jared Sanders, 2002 9 2. Mike Boire, 1997 8 3. Jim Grove, 1982 5 (tie) Stephen Copeland, 2001 5 > (tie) Dallas Buck, 2004 5 <>
2004 ENTRIES IN THE BEAVER RECORD BOOK: Here are Oregon State's 2004 entries in the school record book through March 28:
HITS IN A GAME, INDIVIDUAL (TIED): 5, Mike Hass vs. A
rkansas-Little Rock, Feb. 21.
DOUBLES IN A GAME, INDIVIDUAL (TIED): 3, Aaron Mathews
vs. The Citadel, March 2.
SMALL TOWNS, BIG-TIME PLAYERS: In 2003, Oregon State's "Middle-of-Nowhere Outfield" debuted with leftfielder Seth Pietsch of Wilderville, centerfielder Aaron Mathews of John Day, and rightfielder Jacoby Ellsbury of Madras. The combined population of those 3 small towns in rural Oregon is 7,481.
This spring, you remove Pietsch from the equation after he was drafted in the eighth round by the New York Mets; then add freshman Mike Lissman of Ontario and your new population figure for OSU's outfield trio in 2004 skyrockets to 17,899.
For those not familiar with Oregon's geography east of the Cascade Mountains, John Day (pop. 1,836) is tucked in the mountains of Northeastern Oregon; Madras (pop. 5,078) is located on the high desert north of Bend in Central Oregon; and Ontario (pop. 10,985) is located along the Snake River on the eastern edge of the state.
Mathews, a junior, was a Freshman All-America selection by Collegiate Baseball newspaper in 2002, then missed most of the first half of the 2003 season because of an injury. He's batting .362 with 3 homers and 26 runs batted in, and his 9 doubles place him among the Pacific-10 leaders in that category.
Ellsbury, a sophomore, earned Freshman All-America honors from both Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball in 2003, and Baseball America ranked him as one of the nation's top 50 sophomores heading into this season. He's batting .426 with 2 homers and 9 RBIs; he leads the Pac-10 with 13 stolen bases and is among the conference leaders in batting average and on-base average.
Lissman hasn't become a full-time figure in the outfield, playing there part-time and as OSU's designated hitter part-time. He's been a presence at the plate, though, batting .390 with 2 homers and 15 RBIs to rank among the Pac-10 leaders in batting average and on-base percentage.
FROSH PROVIDE BULLPEN'S BACKBONE: When Oregon State needs to get someone up in the bullpen this spring, just hollering "Get the freshman loose!" will only lead to confusion. OSU has 4 freshmen who have made big contributions in relief this season - righthanders Dallas Buck, Jake McCormick and Jonah Nickerson and lefthander Kevin Gunderson. Before Buck moved into the starting rotation at California on March 28, he earned 5 saves and that was still good for a tie for first in the Pac-10; that included a save in a win over Pacific Northwest rival Washington on Feb. 29. McCormick has yet to allow an earned run in 16.1 innings over 11 appearances and opponents are hitting just .127 against him. Gunderson has fashioned a 1.31 earned run average and is 4-0, having earned wins in the first 4 appearances of his career. Nickerson has gotten the starting nod for 3 games, pitching OSU to wins over Chicago State and Portland and also getting the start in a win over Washington.
McFEELY'S EIGHT RUNS BATTED IN NEARS RECORD: When Oregon State beat Portland 25-4 on March 31, OSU sophomore third baseman Shea McFeely drove in 8 runs; that was just 1 shy of the school-record 9 RBIs by Ken Bowen in a 36-12 win at Chico State in 1985. McFeely was 3-for-5 with a sacrifice fly in the first inning, bases-loaded walk in the second inning, a 3-run homer to left-centerfield in the third inning, a run-scoring double to left in the eighth inning and a 2-run single to right-center in the ninth. He drove in the Beavers' first run and OSU's last 2 runs. "I don't think I've ever had seven RBIs in a game," McFeely said. Uh, Shea, it was 8 RBIs. "Oh!" said a surprised McFeely.
HAL WAVES GOODBYE: On March 31, Hal Cowan retired as Oregon State's sports information director after 28 seasons at OSU and nearly 40 years in the profession. Cowan's main responsibility was football, but he wanted to make a final on-the-job trip so he accompanied the Beavers to California for their series March 26-March 28; Cowan had worked at Cal from 1966-67. OSU won 2 of the 3 games, and after the Beavers' 14-3 win in the finale, OSU head coach Pat Casey said, "You talk about loyalty and people who dedicate themselves to their work, and have a good time doing it - he's down here working like it's his first trip. He's not only good in that fashion, but he's been a good friend to me and he's helped us with the Dugout Club. If we had more people like Hal Cowan who had black and orange coming out everywhere, life would be a lot easier. He's a special guy. I'm just glad he's here for his last game with us, and that we got him a win."
FIVE PITCHES, FIVE OUTS FOR McCORMICK: It doesn't get much better than 5 outs on 5 pitches, and that's what Oregon State pitcher Jake McCormick managed against Utah Valley State on March 21. The freshman righthander entered the game in the top of the fourth inning with 1 out and the bases loaded; he got out of the jam with 1 pitch, getting Kevin Hashimoto to ground to OSU second baseman Chris Kunda to start an inning-ending double play. In the fifth, UVSC's Ryan K. Jones fouled off the McCormick's first pitch and then flied out to rightfield; Trent Perry and Daniel Bulow followed with groundouts on the first pitches they saw from McCormick.
ELLSBURY THREATENS TRAFFIC: For the duration of Jacoby Ellsbury's career, Oregon State's public safety officials may want to post "Watch Out For Falling Horsehide" signs along Washington Way in the vicinity of Goss Stadium at Coleman Field. The sophomore outfielder threatened both motorists and pedestrians well beyond the rightfield fence with his first 2 home runs of the season March 12 and March 20. The rightfield foul line is 330 feet at the OSU ballpark, and the distance from the foul pole to the curb on the north side of Washington Way measures out at 132 feet down the foul line. Ellsbury's first homer, hit against Gonzaga, was just fair and traveled to within 15 feet or so of the street; just over a week later, he walloped a high fly - a little further into fair territory - to the edge of the street against Utah Valley State. A best-guess estimate puts the distances at around 445 feet and 460 feet. "Honestly, you can't feel it at all when you hit a ball like that. That has to be the farthest ball I've ever hit, right there," Ellsbury said after the second homer. "I mean, I didn't think I had any more power than the one I hit against Gonzaga. It's a great feeling."
FANS FLOCK TO FIRST HOME SERIES: After spending the first 4 weeks of the season on the road, Oregon State opened its home schedule against Gonzaga from March 12-14. And during the season's first series at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field, Beaver fans showed they were more than ready to watch a little baseball. At least 1,100 fans made their way into the ballpark for each of the games; it was the first series to draw 4-figure crowds on all 3 days since the Beavers hosted UCLA from April 19-21, 2002. The weekend's total attendance of 4,111 was the second-most for a series since the ballpark's 1999 renovation, trailing only the 4,226 for three games against Stanford from April 26-28, 2002. The March 12 crowd of 1,776 was the second-largest at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field since the ballpark's 1999 renovation, and it was the largest crowd for an Opening Day since then. The only larger crowd in that period was 1,838 to see the Beavers beat fourth-ranked Stanford 4-3 on April 27, 2002. "What an awesome crowd," OSU head coach Pat Casey said after the 12-2 win on Opening Day. "The atmosphere was fantastic. Usually when we come out at this time of year, we're wondering if we're going to have to be putting the tarp on the field." The Beavers and Bulldogs drew 1,223 fans on Saturday and 1,112 on Sunday for an average crowd of 1,370 during the series.
BEAVERS HAD FASTEST START IN 42 YEARS: When Oregon State beat Southwest Missouri State 5-4 on Feb. 22 to conclude the Texas-Arlington Invitational, it gave the Beavers their fastest baseball start in 42 years. The last time OSU had won 6 straight games to start the season came in 1962, when the Beavers were en route to winning their first 18 games. OSU eventually won its first 7 games before a loss, and that tied the 2004 Beavers for the eighth-fastest start in OSU history. OSU started 18-0 in both 1951 and 1962; 15-0 in 1959; 10-0 in 1960; 9-0 in 1927; 8-0 in 1930 and 1947; and was also 7-0 in 1938, 1939 and 1952.
HASS' FIRST FIVE HITS TIE RECORD: Senior outfielder Mike Hass made the first 5 hits of his Oregon State career count. The transfer from Nevada went 5-for-5 with a double and a home run in an 8-3 win over Arkansas-Little Rock on Feb. 21 to tie OSU's school record for hits in a game. The outburst came a day after Hass had been relegated to the bench in the fourth inning of a win over Texas-Arlington after being picked off first base. "It's a great way to respond," OSU head coach Pat Casey said. Added Hass: "That was the first time I think I've ever been picked off, besides having a lefthander's move to first. I was pretty disappointed in myself. I was trying to do something to help the team out ... Coach Casey told me he'd give me a chance, and I appreciated that. It's early in the season and we've got a lot to go still, but it's nice to win." Hass, incidentally, is not the same Mike Hass that is a freshman wide receiver on Oregon State's football team; the pair are not related.
BEAVERS GET A FIRST, A SECOND AND TWO MAYBES: Oregon State started its season by appearing in 4 tournaments. No champion was named at the Coca-Cola Classic, held Feb. 13-15 in Surprise, Ariz., or at the Texas-Arlington Invitational, held Feb. 20-22 in Arlington, Tex., but OSU was the only team to go unbeaten in both of those events. Oregon State won the championship of the Riverside Baseball Invitational, held Feb. 27-29 in Riverside, Calif.; it marked the second time the Beavers have won that tournament, as OSU was also the RBI champion in 1985. OSU placed second in the First Hawai'i Title Rainbow Baseball Tournament, held March 2-6 in Honolulu, Haw., as the Beavers lost to host Hawai'i in the championship game.
BEAVERS WITH PAC-10 WEEKLY HONORS: Oregon State sophomore righthander Andy Baldwin was named the Pacific-10 Pitcher of the Week for March 15-21. Baldwin earned the win in OSU's 7-0 shutout of Utah Valley State, pitching 6.0 innings and scattering 9 hits and 1 walk while striking out 4.
BEAVERS ON ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMS: Oregon State had 3 players named to the all-tournament team as the Beavers finished as runners-up at the First Hawai'i Title Rainbow Baseball Tournament on March 1-5 in Honolulu, Haw. - outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury and infielder's Chris Kunda and Shea McFeely. For the tournament, Ellsbury batted .526 (10-for-19) with six runs scored; Kunda batted .267 (4-for-15) with a double and three runs batted in but recorded 14 assists and four putouts; and McFeely batted .444 (4-for-18) with four doubles and six runs batted in.
Oregon State had 2 players named to the all-tournament team as OSU went unbeaten at the Coca-Cola Classic on Feb. 13-15 in Surprise, Ariz. - outfielder Aaron Mathews and pitcher Dallas Buck. Mathews was 4-for-12 with 2 doubles and a team-high 4 RBIs during the tournament. In OSU's final game, he cut down a Cal State-Northridge rally with a catch he made diving away from home plate and toward the centerfield wall; the catch started an inning-ending double play and the Beavers wound up winning 3-2. Buck had saves in his first 2 collegiate appearances, closing out the Beavers' 8-6 wins over Utah and Gonzaga in OSU's first 2 games at the tournament. Buck pitched a total of 2.1 innings, allowing 3 hits and 0 walks while striking out 2.
There were no all-tournament teams named at the Texas-Arlington Invitational or the Riverside Baseball Invitational.
BEAVERS BRING BACK ORANGE JERSEYS: On Feb. 14, Oregon State wore orange jerseys for what is believed to be the first time since 1984 and took an 8-6 win over Gonzaga. Coincidentally, the win came on the day that Oregon - The Beaver State - celebrated the 145th anniversary of its statehood.
THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED: Here's the last time Oregon State players accomplished several notable feats, through March 31:
THREW A NO-HITTER: April 11, 1967; Cleve Benson, Eric Selberg
and Jack Humphrey vs. Portland. OSU 11, Portland 0. (Individual -
April 12, 1947; Fred Gallagher vs. Montana. OSU 1, Montana 0).
WAS NO-HIT: March 27, 1994; Jack Gullard, Lewis-Clark State at
Hawai'i Easter Tournament. Lewis-Clark State 1, OSU 0.
THREW A ONE-HITTER: Feb. 18, 1999; B.R. Cook vs. Oklahoma State
at San Diego State Tournament. OSU 5, Oklahoma State 0.
THREW A SHUTOUT: Mar. 20, 2004; Andy Baldwin and Kevin Gunderson
vs. Utah Valley State. OSU 7, Utrah Valley State 0. (Individual -
May 19, 2001; Scott Nicholson vs. Southern California. OSU 6,
Southern California 0.
HAD 10 OR MORE STRIKEOUTS BY A PITCHER: April 6, 2001; Thad
Johnson vs. California; 14 strikeouts. OSU 6, California 5.
HIT A GRAND SLAM: February 27, 2003; Kerisi Reynolds vs. Cal
State-Northridge at Lancaster, Calif. OSU 10, Cal State-Northridge 6.
HIT TWO HOMERS IN A GAME: March 11, 2001; Andy Jarvis vs.
Washington State at Yakima, Wash. (hit 3 homers). Washington State 8,
OSU 7. (March 30, 2003; Seth Pietsch hit 2 homers vs. California but
one was ruled a single when he was called out for passing Andy Jarvis
between first and second base).
HIT THREE HOMERS IN A GAME: March 11, 2001; Andy Jarvis vs.
Washington State at Yakima, Wash. Washington State 8, OSU 7.
PINCH-HIT A HOME RUN: March 31, 2004; Mike Hass at Portland.
OSU 25, Portland 4.
HIT AN INSIDE-THE-PARK HOME RUN: Feb. 13, 2004; Andy Jenkins vs.
Utah. OSU 8, Utah 6.
HIT BACK-TO-BACK HOME RUNS: April 12, 2003; Aaron Mathews and
Andy Jarvis vs. Washington State (incidentally, they came on the
first pitch of each at-bat). OSU 11, Washington State 3.
HIT BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK HOME RUNS: April 11, 2000; Brian Barden,
Curtis Davis and Joe Gerber at Portland. OSU 13, Portland 5.
HIT TWO TRIPLES IN A GAME: May 3, 1997; Abino Vazquez at Portland
State. OSU 7, Portland State 5.
HIT THREE DOUBLES IN A GAME: March 2, 2004; Aaron Mathews vs. The
Citadel at Honolulu, Haw. The Citadel 7, OSU 6.
HAD FIVE HITS IN A GAME: Feb 21, 2004; Mike Hass vs. Arkansas-
Little Rock at Arlington, Tex. OSU 8, Arkansas-Little Rock 3.
HAD FOUR HITS IN A GAME: March 31, 2004; Aaron Mathews at Portland.
OSU 25, Portland 4.
DROVE IN EIGHT RUNS IN A GAME: March 31, 2004; Shea McFeely at
Portland. OSU 25, Portland 4.
DROVE IN SEVEN RUNS IN A GAME: March 31, 2004; Shea McFeely at
Portland (drove in 8 runs). OSU 25, Portland 4.
DROVE IN SIX RUNS IN A GAME: March 31, 2004; Shea McFeely at
Portland (drove in 8 runs). OSU 25, Portland 4.
DROVE IN FIVE RUNS IN A GAME: March 31, 2004; Shea McFeely at
Portland (drove in 8 runs). OSU 25, Portland 4.
SCORED FIVE RUNS IN A GAME: March 5, 2000; Brian Barden at
Washington. OSU 27, Washington 4.
SCORED FOUR RUNS IN A GAME: March 31, 2004; Chris Kunda at
Portland. OSU 25, Portland 4.
STOLE FOUR BASES IN A GAME: April 11, 1991; David Anderson vs.
Willamette. OSU 8, Willamette 0.
STOLE THREE BASES IN A GAME: Feb. 28, 2004; Jacoby Ellsbury vs.
Sacramento State at Riverside, Calif. Sacramento State 10, OSU 3.
HAD FIVE WALKS IN A GAME: May 21, 1970; Bob Beall vs. UCLA.
UCLA 7, OSU 2.
HAD FOUR WALKS IN A GAME: March 4, 2004; Chris Campos vs. Chicago
State at Honolulu, Haw. OSU 15, Chicago State 3.
TURNED A TRIPLE PLAY: April 4, 2000; Joe Gerber and Will Hudson vs.
Portland (line drive to 1B Gerber for 1 out; Gerber steps on first base
before runner returns for 2 out; Gerber throw to SS Hudson covering
second base before runner returns for 3 out).
FOUR BEAVERS AMONG TOP 50 IN THEIR YEAR: Oregon State had 4 players that Baseball America magazine ranked among the top 50 players among all those in their class year heading into the 2004 season. Righthanded pitcher Ben Rowe was rated the 13th-best senior, lefthanded pitcher Jake Postlewait was rated the 40th-best senior, outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury was rated the 29th-best sophomore, and righthanded pitcher Dallas Buck was rated the 33rd-best freshman.
Rowe (Perth, Australia/Greenwood HS) was drafted in the 24th round by the Texas Rangers following the 2003 season but chose to return to Oregon State for his senior season. Rowe also had opportunities to sign with the Minnesota Twins while still in Australia; he is a 2-time Pacific-10 All-Academic honorable mention selection.
Postlewait (Corvallis, Ore./Corvallis HS) was not drafted after last season but was approached by several professional teams about signing during an outstanding summer in the Alaska League. Despite missing almost 3 weeks of the 2003 season, he was an All-Pacific-10 first team selection after going 5-1 with a 3.43 earned run average.
Ellsbury (Madras, Ore./Madras HS) was a Freshman All-America selection by both Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball newspaper in 2003, when he batted .330 with 7 home runs, 33 runs batted in and 14 stolen bases. Also an outstanding fielder, he had been drafted in the 23rd round by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays after his senior year of high school but chose to attend OSU.
Buck (Newberg, Ore./Newberg HS) had been rated the 46th-best prospect in the nation by Baseball America during his senior year of high school. He was drafted in the 19th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates but opted to attend OSU to play both baseball and football; as a defensive back and special teams player, he was the only true freshman to play for the Beavers last fall.
OREGON STATE'S SCHEDULE: Oregon State will face 2 teams ranked in the Sports Weekly/ESPN national coaches poll of March 29: No. 1 Stanford (3 games) and No. 10 Arizona State. OSU will play another 2 teams who received votes in the poll but didn't crack the top 25: Washington (6 games) and Arizona (3 games).
BEAVERS IN NATIONAL RANKINGS: Oregon State received its first votes of the season in the ESPN/Sports Weekly coaches poll on Feb. 23. Here is where the Beavers have been this season in the national rankings:
POLL ESPN / SPORTS BASEBALL COLLEGIATE NATL. COLL. DATE WKLY. COACHES AMERICA BASEBALL BSBL. WTRS. Pressn. NR NR NR NR Feb. 3 NR NR NR NR Feb. 10 NR NR NR NR Feb. 17 NR NR NR NR Feb. 23 Votes (33rd) NR NR 30th Mar. 1 Votes (30th) NR 20th 25th Mar. 8 Votes (43rd) NR NR NR Mar. 15 Votes (37th) NR NR NR Mar. 22 Votes (40th) NR NR NR Mar. 29 Votes (34th) NR NR Votes
RAIN ON THE ROAD: If the recent trend continues, Oregon State will have better weather luck at home than it does on the road. Since the start of the 1997 season, the Beavers have had 35 games either cancelled or rescheduled due to rain. Of those, only 12 have been games at OSU's Goss Stadium at Coleman Field; 15 were at ballparks in California, Nevada, Hawai'i, Texas or Florida. Another 8 were at ballparks elsewhere in the Pacific Northwest. OSU has lost just 3 home games to rain during that time, while having 11 games cancelled at sites outside the region and 3 called off at other Pacific Northwest ballparks. The Beavers have postponed 8 home games, 4 games at sites outside the region and 6 at other Pacific Northwest ballparks.
OREGON STATE HEAD COACH Pat Casey: Pat Casey, now in his 10th season at OSU, celebrated the 400th victory of his head coaching career on April 14, 2002 when the Beavers completed an 11-9 win over Hawai'i-Hilo. Casey's career record is 452-323-5, which includes 7 years at George Fox in Newberg, for a winning percentage of .583.
Casey has a record of 281-210-4 with the Beavers for a winning percentage of .572. Of the 19 head coaches in OSU baseball history, only a pair of men who spent more than 2 decades guiding the Beavers - Ralph Coleman (1923-28, 1930-31, 1938-66) and Jack Riley (1973-94) - have coached more wins for the Beavers.
Casey was named the Pacific-10 Northern Division Coach of the Year in 1997 after leading the Beavers to a 38-12-1 mark, a school record for wins in a regular season. During Casey's time at OSU, 19 Beavers have been drafted by Major League Baseball teams and 4 more players have signed as free agents.
Casey came to OSU from his alma mater, George Fox, after leading the Bruins to a 171-113-1 record and winning 3 NAIA District 2 titles at the school in Newberg, Ore.
OREGON STATE'S ALL-TIME RECORD: Oregon State's all-time record in varsity baseball is now 1,764-1,223-15, a winning percentage of .590. OSU's all-time record in conference games is now 779-578, a winning percentage of .574. To break the numbers down a step further, since starting varsity baseball in 1907, the Beavers have scored 19,705 runs and allowed 15,239 runs. That's an average score of 6.56-5.08.
OREGON STATE ALL-TIME ON OPENING DAY: After beating Utah 8-6 on Feb. 13, the Beavers' all-time record in season-openers is 66-29, and OSU has won 12 of its last 18 on Opening Day. This season's Feb. 13 date for Opening Day was the latest for the Beavers since they began the 1995 season on Feb. 22 with a 4-3 win over Western Oregon in Corvallis. After beating Gonzaga 12-2 on March 12, OSU has an all-time record of 75-19 in home-openers, with the Beavers winning 14 of their last 16 home-openers and 29 of their last 32. The March 12 date was the latest for OSU's home-opener since 1999, when the first game at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field wasn also on March 12 with a 5-2 loss to defending national champion Southern California; that was literally the first game since Goss Stadium had been added to Coleman Field. OSU had been scheduled to open at home against Gonzaga on March 6-7 in 1999, but construction delays moved that 2-game series to Salem.
GOSS STADIUM AT COLEMAN FIELD: Oregon State has been playing on the same site since starting varsity baseball in 1907, making Goss Stadium at Coleman Field the oldest diamond in the Pacific-10 and one of the oldest in the country.
Now in their 95th season at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field, the Beavers are 914-401-1 at home for a winning percentage of .695. This season, the Beavers are 4-2 at home and are averaging 1,003 fans per home date. Since the start of the 1993 season, OSU is 164-72 at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field for a winning percentage of .695.
Oregon State's ballpark made its initial venture into night baseball in 2002 with the addition of its first-ever set of lights. The first night game saw OSU beat fourth-ranked Stanford 4-1 on April 27.
Goss Stadium was added to Coleman Field over the winter of 1998-99. The ballpark holds 2,000 fans, with the main grandstand seating 1,500 of those. The structure includes a press box, concession/lobby area, dugouts, locker rooms, restrooms and storage areas.
The playing surface has been completely rebuilt recently, with the infield undergoing renovation in 1996 and the outfield in 1998.
TICKET INFORMATION: Season tickets for Oregon State baseball are $100, which entitles the ticketholder to the same reserved seat for all 21 OSU home games in 2004. For OSU faculty and staff, and for senior citizens age 62 and over, season tickets are $80.
The Family Plan for the 2004 season admits up to 2 adults and up to 4 students through high school to all 21 home games. The cost is $20 per adult and $10 per child, and a family must purchase the tickets for all its members at the same time.
The Pacific-10 Plan for 2004 is $50 and provides the ticketholder with a reserved seat to all 12 home games against conference opponents.
Individual game tickets for Oregon State baseball are sold on a general admission basis and cost $5 for adults and $3 for seniors age 62 and over and children through high school.
There is a team/group rate of $2 per person, but those interested in using that plan must call the OSU athletic ticket office at 1-800-GO BEAVS at least 2 days prior to the game to arrange for those tickets.
For more information, call the OSU athletic ticket office at 1-800-GO BEAVS or visit the OSU athletics website at www.osubeavers.com
UPCOMING PROMOTIONS: Oregon State has a number of promtions scheduled for upcoming games at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field.
The series against Arizona on April 2-April 4 is Little League Weekend, sponsored by Reser's Fine Foods. Youth baseball and softball teams are invited to attend OSU's first Pacific-10 home series, and all players in uniform will be able to purchase tickets for $2 at the ticket window.
The series against Stanford on April 8-April 10 is Oregon State University Faculty/Staff Weekend, sponsored by OSU Federal. Oregon State faculty and staff can visit OSU Federal and get a coupon good for up to 5 tickets at $2 each when the coupon is presented at the ticket window.
The game against Portland on April 20 is Dollar Day. All tickets will be $1 at the ticket window.
The series against Washington on April 30-May 2 is Mom's Weekend at OSU. The game on April 30 is Ladies Night, with all females - including Moms - being admitted for $2. On May 1, fans can make it a football/baseball doubleheader; all fans at the Spring Football Game will receive a coupon good for a free ticket to that evening's baseball game.
OREGON STATE DUGOUT CLUB: The Oregon State Dugout Club is an organization devoted to supporting Beaver Baseball. The group is open to the general public; dues are $75 per year. Also, anyone entering the OSU Dugout Club Golf Tournament automatically gains membership. This year's tournament will be held June 21 at Tokatee Golf Club in Blue River. For more information on the OSU Dugout Club, call (541) 737-2825.
OREGON STATE RADIO BROADCASTS: Oregon State baseball will again be broadcast this season, with most of the Beavers' schedule heard on KEJO-AM (1240) and via the internet at www.osubeavers.com. There is a charge for listening via the internet; the cost is $4.95 per month or $14.95 for the entire 2003-04 school year, and that allows the listener access to all OSU athletic broadcasts that are on the internet. Mike Parker, the voice of the Beavers, handled play-by-play duties with assistance from John Warren and Kip Carlson.
TELEVISION BRINGS OUT BEST IN BEAVERS: Oregon State's home game against Arizona on April 2 will be televised by Fox Sports Net on a tape-delayed basis, shown in the Pacific Northwest on April 4 at 5 p.m. Prior to 2003, Oregon State had played on national cable television each of the last 5 seasons, and the Beavers have gone 3-2 in those games, including a 3-0 mark at home. Since Fox Sports Net (formerly Prime Sports) began televising games in 1990, Oregon State has a 29-15 record in televised games, including 8-3 in national TV games.
