Oregon State in Omaha to Defend National Championship

OSU (44-18 overall) opens the tournament against Cal State-Fullerton (38-23) on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. PDT.

OSU players Blake Keitzman, John Wallace, Erik Ammon, Koa Kahalehoe, Mike Lissman and Chris Hopkins at study hall in Omaha. Photo: OSU Athletics

OMAHA, Neb. - After spending most of the day in transit, Oregon State’s base ball team arrived in Omaha on Wednesday evening to begin its third straight trip to the College World Series.

The Beavers – who earned a trip back to Rosenblatt Stadium to defend their 2006 national championship - were greeted at the airport by CWS officials and representatives of their hosts for their stay, the Omaha Kiwanis.

Then, for many of the Beavers, it was off to study or take exams – this is Finals Week at OSU – while others reacquainted themselves with Omaha or took their first look around the downtown area.

“It doesn’t get old at all,” said OSU pitcher Joe Paterson, who is making his second trip to the College World Series with the Beavers. “I’m definitely not as nervous this time around. I was kind of already shaking at this time; this year, I’m more excited and ready to go after it and soak up everything we’re going to do this year.”

For outfielder Chris Hopkins, who joined the Beavers this season, it’s his first taste of Omaha.

“I’m still in shock,” Hopkins said. “It’s a great thing to come to; I hope we play hard and have fun on the field.”

OSU (44-18 overall) opens the tournament against Cal State-Fullerton (38-23) on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. PDT.

The game will be televised on ESPN, and all of the Beavers’ CWS games can be heard on KEJO-AM (1240) in the Corvallis area, KUIK-AM (1360) in the Portland area, KKNX-AM (840) in the Eugene area, KICE-AM (940) in the Bend area, KMED-AM (1440) in the Medford area, KRNR-AM (1490) in the Roseburg area, KNPT-AM (1310) in the Newport area, KAGO-AM (1150) in the Klamath Falls area and KODL-AM (1440) in The Dalles area.

On Thursday, the Beavers will practice at Rosenblatt Stadium from 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Prior to its workout, OSU will have its CWS team picture taken at 3:00 p.m. in front of the ballpark, then have players and coaches interviewed by ESPN from 3:15 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

There’s also a press conference for OSU head coach Pat Casey and the seven other head coaches at 2:00 PM in the Rosenblatt press room.

After practice, there will be an informational presentation by the NCAA and an autograph session with fans at Rosenblatt from 5:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Following the autographs, all eight teams will be guests at a barbecue dinner at the ballpark.

The opening ceremonies will then be held from 8:30 p.m. -10:00 p.m. in Rosenblatt Stadium.

On Friday, OSU will practice at either Creighton University or a local high school; details of time and location were still being worked out as of Wednesday evening.

In the meantime, the Beavers are hitting the books, not baseballs. Academic counselor Ardell Bailey spent part of Wednesday evening in a meeting room at the Doubletree Downtown hotel proctoring final exams.

Oregon State finished the regular season on the road at UCLA from May 25-May 27, then spending nearly a week at the NCAA Charlottesville Regional from May 31-June 5 before getting to host Michigan in last weekend’s NCAA Corvallis Super Regional. That’s kept Bailey busy making sure the Beavers haven’t neglected the academic side of being a student-athlete.

“I spent most of the first part of the week communicating with professors, letting them know what was going on with the game (against Michigan) being pushed back to Monday,” Bailey said. “And the professors have been communicating with the players, letting them know when they’ll be available, when they’ll be able to take the exams, whether they can take them on the road or take an ‘incomplete’ until the team returns to take their exams. All the guys have done a great job communicating with their professors and communicating with me.”

Bailey carried with him approximately 35 exams to be administered to OSU players while they’re in Omaha.

“Hopefully we can get them done by Friday,” Bailey said. “The guys were to be studying on the plane on the way over, and tonight we’re going to have a study hall. Then we’re going to try to have study hall twice Thursday.”

What words of wisdom does Bailey have for the Beavers when it comes to keeping their grades up with these circumstances?

“I tell them to take the same approach as baseball,” Bailey said. “Be comfortable, be calm with it, and communicate – work with each other, work with the professors, and just do the things you would normally do.

“It’s easy if they communicate with the professors and communicate with me so they know what’s going on. So far, they’ve done a good job of that.”

Paterson admits it’s been tougher to do that in 2007 than it was in 2006.

“Last year was a walk in the park compared to this because we were at home for the regionl and at the end (of the regular season) when we played UCLA at home,” said Paterson, a Pacific-10 All-Academic second team selection. “This time, I’m struggling to keep up. Right before we left I took an exam, and I took another one later the next day. I’m barely getting by, but we’ll see how it goes.”

Adding comments to these stories has been disabled. View the current sports stories Salem-News Sports