Hainline Delivers In The Eighth, Beavers Win 4-2 Over Oregon
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Elijah Hainline hit a two-run, two-out single in the eighth and Oregon State's pitching staff produced 15 strikeouts as the ninth-ranked Beavers defeated No. 22 Oregon, 4-2, Saturday night at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field.
The Beavers, with the win, claimed the three-game series and can go for a sweep of the Ducks Sunday with a 2:05 p.m. PT first pitch at Goss Stadium. OSU improved to 33-9 on the year, and 12-7 in Pac-12 Conference play.
Hainline drilled the first pitch he saw in the eighth from Oregon (28-14, 11-9) reliever Logan Mercado into left, enabling Jacob Krieg and Wilson Weber to each score. Weber had walked with one out, and Krieg singled to left as the No. 3 batter of the inning.
The game-winning hit came in support of the Beavers' pitching staff, which limited the Ducks to two runs on three hits and a walk. Jacob Kmatz started for the 11th time this season and tied a career-high with 10 strikeouts. His lone blemish was a solo home run by Drew Smith in the third.
That home run tied the game after Canon Reeder opened the game's scoring with a single in the second. The Beavers took the lead again when Jabin Trosky reached on an infield single in the seventh, but Oregon tied the game in the top of the eighth on a sacrifice fly.
Joey Mundt picked up the win, his second of the year, after allowing one hit and a run with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. Bridger Holmes saved his 10th game of the year with three strikeouts in the ninth.
Trosky led the Beavers with two hits. The Beavers' seven, eight and nine hitters – Hainline, Reeder and Trosky – accounted for all four RBI.
Mercado took the loss for Oregon, dropping to 0-1. He allowed two hits and two runs in an inning of work.
Next Up
The teams conclude the three-game series Sunday at Goss Stadium with first pitch slated for 2:05 p.m. PT. The game will air on Pac-12 Oregon.
Oregon State Game Notes
• Saturday's crowd of 3,962 marked the highest of the season and 19th all-time at Goss Stadium. It's the second-most against Oregon, following 4,026 on May 7, 2022. It's the 11th largest regular season crowd at the stadium.
• Oregon State's pitching staff has struck out 29 batters in 18 innings in the series. The Beavers have allowed four hits, two walks and two runs.
• The game ended OSU's streak of 23 consecutive games with at least one home run.
• The Beavers did hit their 93rd and 94th doubles of the season by Gavin Turley and Brady Kasper.
• OSU was 3-for-9 with two outs; Oregon was 0-for-9. The Ducks also went 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position while the Beavers were 3-for-11.
• Bridger Holmes is 10-for-11 in save opportunities this season.
• Jacob Kmatz has now allowed six runs and 15 hits with two walks and 27 strikeouts over his last 26 2/3 innings.
• Kmatz's last 10-strikeout outing came in his second start of the year, Feb. 24 against Michigan.
• Jabin Trosky posted his seventh multi-hit game of the season.
• Elijah Hainline now has 12 multi-RBI efforts.
• Turley has three doubles during a three-game hit streak. The sophomore has seven three-game hit streaks this year but has yet to get to four.
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