Pac-10 Baseball: Washington Defeats No. 9 Oregon State, 9-6

Drew George and John Wallace were both 2-for-4 for the Beavers.

OSU infielder Jason Ogata Photo; OSU Athletics

SEATTLE - Jason Ogata hit Oregon State’s first inside-the-park home run in over three years but the ninth-ranked Beavers lost to Washington 9-6 in Pac-10 baseball Saturday afternoon at Husky Ballpark.

OSU (34-11 overall, 6-8 Pac-10) saw Washington (23-20, 8-6) score six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take the lead for good.

Washington has assured itself of its first series win over the Beavers since 2004; OSU had won five of the last six games between the teams prior to this weekend.

On Saturday, the crowd of 1,213 was the largest of the season at Husky Ballpark and about half were OSU fans who had apparently stayed after watching the Beavers’ 6-2 loss at Safeco Field on Friday night.

“We’re giving up way too many free bases,” OSU head coach Pat Casey said. “We’re not making some plays we normally make. We’ve walked people, we’ve given up some leadoff hits, there have been some balls to the outfield I thought we could catch if we’re sharp and that cuts down a rally. We just not doing the little things in the game that we’ve been doing most of the year that have kept our opponents’ runs to a minimum.”

Ogata put the Beavers on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning with his inside-the-park home run.

With one out and the bases empty against UW pitcher Elliott Cribby – who was making his first start of the season - Ogata lined a ball that Husky centerfielder Michael Burgher attempted to catch while diving toward the infield, but he couldn’t make the grab and the ball rolled to the fence. Ogata was waved home, and he arrived just ahead of the tag by Washington catcher Joey Dunn for his third homer of the season and a 1-0 lead.

“I hit it and the ball was carrying,” said Ogata, who couldn’t recall ever hitting another inside-the-park homer at any level. “I was running hard out of the box so I was thinking that if it got past him, I might get a triple out of it. I didn’t think he’d send me home, but I was glad he did. It worked out.”

It was OSU’s first inside-the-park home run since Andy Jenkins turned the trick on Feb. 13th, 2004 in an 8-6 win over Utah at Surprise, Ariz. It was the first inside-the-park homer in the history of cozy Husky Ballpark, which opened in 1998.

Oregon State found itself under pressure most of the day, as Washington put its first hitter on base in six of eight innings. For the series, the Huskies have had their first hitter on base in 11 of 16 innings.

OSU, meanwhile, has had its leadoff hitter reach in 3 of 18 innings and the Beavers have stranded 26 runners in the two games.

On Saturday, the Beavers left the bases loaded in each of the last two innings when the hitter at the plate represented the go-ahead run.

“Things just didn’t go our way,” Ogata said. “We got momentum, we got the bases loaded, and we just couldn’t get the clutch hit like we usually do. Most of the time, we are going to trust our hitters to get those hits.”

Drew George and John Wallace were both 2-for-4 for the Beavers, who finished with 12 hits to Washington’s 14; of the Huskies’ hits, 13 were singles.

OSU starter Joe Paterson took the loss to drop his record to 6-5 this season, pitching 4 1/3 innings and allowing seven runs on 12 hits and one walk while striking out three.

Anton Maxwell pitched 2 2/3 scoreless, hitless innings in relief, walking one and striking out three.

Washington took the lead with its six-run fifth inning against OSU starter Joe Paterson and reliever Mark Grbavac, going in front 7-4 as it came up with six hits in the inning.

The frame started with a pair of ground balls that went for an infield single and a single up the middle, then four of the next six hitters singled and Paterson hit a batter to make it 6-4.

OSU looked as though it could get out of the inning still down two runs when Matt Hague hit a grounder to short, but shortstop Darwin Barney’s toss to second baseman Joey Wong to try to force out Burgher wasn’t in time and it was 7-4.

The Huskies went up 9-4 in the bottom of the sixth when Joey Dunn delivered a two-run single to chase Grbavac from the game.

The Beavers got within 9-6 and brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the top of the eighth inning.

Singles by Jordan Lennerton and John Wallace off reliever Harrison Bishop put runners at first and second with one out, then Drew George singled to left to drive in a run.

With two out, Bishop walked Chris Hopkins to load the bases and UW brought on Brandon McKerney to face Ogata; he hit him with a two-ball, two-strike pitch to force in a run.

That brought Mitch Canham to the plate representing the go-ahead run, and Washington turned to closer Nick Hagadone.

Canham – who already had three grand slams this season – got caught looking at a curveball for strike three to end the inning with the Beavers still down 9-6.

OSU again brought the go-ahead run to the plate with two out in the ninth as Lennerton walked, Braden Wells grounded a pinch-hit single and George walked. Lonnie Lechelt stepped in to pinch hit, and Hagadone struck him out looking to end the game.

Oregon State had gone up 4-1 with a run in the top of the fourth inning and two more in the top of the fifth.

In the fourth, Barney singled with two out, went to second on a throwing error on a pickoff play by Cribby and scored on Wallace’s single to center.

In the fifth, Hopkins led off with a triple to left-centerfield and Ogata walked; Canham knocked a single through the right side that scored Hopkins and sent Ogata to third, then Mike Lissman delivered a sacrifice fly to center.

Barney got the start in left field for OSU after hurting a hand when sliding on Friday night.

It was the first career start for the junior anywhere but shortstop, where he had started 166 of Oregon State’s 168 games during his career.

Barney moved to shortstop and Wong went from short to his normal position at second base when Grbavac came in to pitch with one out in the fifth.

Washington’s six-run fifth matched the biggest inning allowed by the Beavers this season.

USC had scored six runs in the sixth inning of the OSU’s 9-8, 11-inning win on April 7th in Corvallis.

The Beavers and Huskies conclude their series Sunday at 1:00 PM at Husky Ballpark.

The game can be heard live on KEJO-AM (1240) in the Corvallis area, KUIK-AM (1360) in the Portland area, KKNX-AM (840) in the Eugene area and KICE-AM (940) in the Bend area.

Live audio is available via subscription in the internet through Beaver Nation Online at www.osubeavers.com.

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