For the sixth time in its last nine games, No. 6 Oregon State baseball was defeated, this time at the hands of rival Oregon 9-5 in Eugene.
It also marks the Beavers' second straight loss to Oregon, falling to the Ducks on Sunday, April 28, and the first time Oregon has taken multiple games from Oregon State in a season since 2021.
"We've got good guys, we'll figure it out and get back on it," Head coach Mitch Canham said following the game. "Just a couple down days offensively, I guess. No one works harder than our guys, so I'm not sweating it."
The silver lining of the game for the Beavers was another accolade for second baseman Travis Bazzana, whose second inning leadoff home run tied him with Jim Wilson's 1982 record of 21 long balls in a single season. It also marked his 38th tank of his career, further extending his program record set against Portland on April 9.
"I think the ultimate objective is to win the baseball game," Canham said of Bazzana's reaction to tying the record. "I don't think anyone even brought that up. It was what can we do for the next pitch. He's doing a fantastic job. Obviously he's crushing the baseball."
Bazzana wasn't the only one to take a ball out of the yard, as the Beavers got their offense going in the first inning behind a Jacob Krieg grand slam to left field.
"I'd have to hit from left center to hit a ball that far," Canham said about the home run.
The ball was officially reported by Oregon State's Dam Analytics Squad as having travelled 461 feet at 111 mph.
The grand slam and the Bazzana home run was all the offense the Beavers could find, as they ran off Oregon's starting pitcher Ian Umlandt by the end of the first. The Ducks' relievers were able to mow through the Beavers lineup for the rest of the game, holding them to just one hit — a single from Bazzana — for the remainder of the game.
Oregon's Brock Moore was the primary weapon, twirling three innings to the tune of nine strikeouts without walking anyone. It was the best outing of the season for Moore, who earned the win before being relieved by a trio of Jaxon Jordan, Bradley Mullan and Logan Mercado.
The losing pitcher for the Beavers was Jaren Hunter, who made the start and gave up seven of Oregon's nine runs through three innings. The Beavers unloaded the pen the rest of the way, sending six pitchers total to toe the rubber. Ian Lawson got the longest run, throwing two innings and fanning a pair in relief of Hunter. Matthew Morrell, Tephan Montgomery, AJ Hutcheson, Tyler Mejia and Drew Talavs would navigate the remainder. The six wouldn't allow another run across, surrendering just one hit, walking a pair and punching out two.
The Beavers move to 33-11 on the year and will head north to play Washington State in a three-game weekend series. First pitch for game one will come at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 3, with Aiden May expected to make the start in Pullman.
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