Pac-10 Baseball: No. 9 Oregon State Shut Out by California

Photo: OSU Athletics

CORVALLIS - Oregon State brought the tying runs to the plate in two of the final three innings but the ninth-ranked Beavers lost to California 4-0 in Pac-10 baseball Saturday afternoon at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field.

OSU (27-8 overall, 3-5 Pac-10) saw its three-game winning streak end and lost at home for just the second time in 12 games this season.

On Saturday, Cal righthander Alex Rollin and relievers Craig Benningson and Matt Gorgen combined to hand the Beavers their first shutout in five years to even the series at one game apiece; OSU had won the opening game 1-0 on Friday night.

The Bears picked up a run in the fifth inning and three more in the seventh to build their 4-0 lead.

OSU then rallied in the seventh and ninth innings but couldn’t avert its first shutout loss since Stanford beat the Beavers 13-0 on April 28th, 2002 in Corvallis; Oregon State had gone 276 straight games without being shut out.

In the bottom of the seventh, Koa Kahalehoe led off with a double down the rightfield line and Darwin Barney added an infield single against Rollin.

Cal brought in reliever Craig Benningson and he struck out Mitch Canham and got Mike Lissman to fly out before walking Jordan Lennerton to load the bases with two out.

Pinch-hitter Dale Solomon then grounded to shortstop for a fielder’s choice to end the inning.

In the bottom of the ninth, Bear closer Matt Gorgen retired the first two hitters and then saw Lissman leg out an infield single, Lennerton single to left, and pinch-hitter John Wallace ground an infield single up the middle.

Drew George came to the plate representing the tying run, but grounded to third base for a game-ending fielder’s choice.

Oregon State lefthander Joe Paterson took the loss, dropping his record to 5-4 this season. In 6 2/3 innings, Paterson allowed four runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out five.

Paterson didn’t allow a fair ball hit in the air until the top of the fifth inning, and the Beavers backed him with a pair of double plays in the first three innings.

In the fifth, the Bears used a pair of infield singles in scoring their first run.

With runners at first and third with one out, Michael Brady’s squeeze bunt scored Taylor Grigsby to make it 1-0.

In the top of the seventh, Grigsby led off with a double but Paterson came back to strike out Blake Smith, then caught Grigsby off second base and he was caught stealing for the second out.

Paterson then walked Josh Satin and Brady followed with a double to left-centerfield to score him for a 2-0 lead. Charlie Cutler grounded a single up the middle to drive in Brady and make it 3-0.

Blake Keitzman relieved Paterson to face the top of the order and Cutler stole second; Rich Gorman then looped a single down the rightfield line to score Cutler and put the score at 4-0.

Barney and Lissman were both 2-for-4 for Oregon State.

For Cal, Rollin got the win to improve to 7-2 this season; in six-plus innings, he allowed four hits and one walk while striking out four.

The Beavers and Bears (18-18, 3-5) conclude their series Sunday at 1:00 PM.

The game can be heard live on KEJO-AM (1240) in the Corvallis area; KKNX-AM (840) in the Eugene area and KICE-AM (940) in the Bend area.

KUIK-AM (1360) in the Portland area will carry the game delayed at 2:00 PM. The game can be heard live in Spanish on KXQR-AM (660) in the Eugene area, KXPD-AM (1040) in the Portland area and KLES-FM (101.7) in the Yakima, Wash., area.

Live audio and video are available on the internet via subscription through Beaver Nation Online at www.osubeavers.com.

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