Ortiz Gets Four Hits But Beavers Fall To Washington State
PULLMAN, Wash. – Ryan Ortiz paced Oregon State with a career-high four hits in five at bats as the 23rd-ranked Beavers dropped the second-game of the series to Washington State, 11-4, Sunday afternoon at Bailey-Brayton Field. The teams conclude the series in a rare Monday day game that begins at 12 p.m. PT.
Ortiz singled in the first, doubled in the fifth and singled in the seventh and ninth innings. The four hits marked his 12th multiple-hit effort of the season and the sixth time with at least three. Starting at first, he jumped his batting average up 17 points to .343.
Lonnie Lechelt had two hits for OSU, including his third home run of the season in the second. The solo shot was Oregon State’s (20-18 overall, 8-9 Pacific-10 Conference) first run of the game. Lechelt has multiple-hit efforts in three straight games to give him eight on the year.
Lechelt also has at least one hit in eight of his last 10 games, including six with at least two.
Washington State (24-19, 5-9) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first after posting five hits in the frame. Jared Prince doubled home two, while Scott Suttmeier and Greg Lagried singled home runs. The Beavers fought back for three in the top of the second, capped by Daniel Robertson’s two-run, two-out double. Lechelt drove in OSU’s first run of the game on his third home run of the season, a shot to right center off WSU starter Jayson Miller.
The Cougars, however, scored seven runs on just one hit in the second. Starter Tanner Robles and reliever Greg Peavey combined for six straight free passes – two hit batters and four walks – for three WSU runs. Michael Weber, the eighth batter of the inning, made it 11-3 in favor of the Cougars on a grand slam to right off Peavey.
Robles threw 1 1/3 innings in his sixth start of the season. He allowed six hits and nine runs while walking four. He dropped to 3-1 this season. Peavey, meanwhile, worked 6 2/3 innings in relief for OSU. He allowed six hits and two runs while striking out three.
Oregon State inched closer, slightly, in the fifth. Robertson reached on a walk, moved to second on a groundout, and scored when Ortiz doubled to the left-center gap.
Miller went 6 2/3 innings for the Cougars, scattering nine hits and four runs while walking two and striking out three. He improved to 6-1 this season.
Oregon State and Washington State finish the three-game series Monday at 12 p.m. PT. Right-hander Jorge Reyes is scheduled to go for the Beavers (3-2, 6.60 ERA) against the Cougars’ Chad Arnold (2-3, 7.40).
Catch the game live by tuning into the Beaver Sports Network, Beaver Nation Online () or Yahoo! Sports.
OSU Notes: Daniel Robertson moved his hit streak to five games with a two-run double in the second ... Lonnie Lechelt’s second-inning home run was his third this season, a career-high, giving him seven for his career.
