EUGENE – Nick Madrigal’s two-out RBI single to right center proved to be the game winner as the 14th-ranked Oregon State baseball team outlasted Oregon, 11-10, Monday night at PK Park.
Entering the ninth tied at eight, the Beavers went ahead on a ground rule double off the bat of Caleb Hamilton. He scored when Christian Donahue doubled to put the Beavers up 10-8. Madrigal then fouled off a series of pitches off Oregon reliever Matt Mercer, and lofted a pitch over the second baseman’s head to drive in the Beavers’ 11th run of the game.
That last run proved to be the game winner as Oregon netted two in the bottom half of the ninth off OSU reliever Max Engelbrekt. But the lefty got Steven Packed to pop up to KJ Harrison at first with the game tying run at second. Engelbrekt, who worked 2 2/3 innings as the seventh Oregon State pitcher, earned his first win of the season, improving to 1-2.
Cooper Stiles, who was charged with two of the three runs in the ninth, took the loss after 1 2/3 innings of relief. He dropped to 1-2.
Oregon State (24-9 overall) never trailed but had to hold off a late Oregon rally. The Beavers went up 8-0 after 3 ½innings thanks to a six-run third inning. But the Ducks got on the board with a two-run home run by Packard in the bottom half of the fourth. Oregon (17-13) then matched Oregon State’s third with a six-run inning of its own in the sixth.
The teams remained tied at eighth in the seventh and eighth innings before the Beavers put three runs on the board in the ninth on the strength of four hits.
Donahue led the Oregon State offensive attacked with four of the team’s 15 hits. He doubled twice and extended his hit streak to seven games, where he is 16-for-31.
Logan Ice went 3-for-3 and drove in three, including two on a double off the fence during the Beavers’ six-run third.
Madrigal, Billy King and Trever Morrison all had two hits. King and Hamilton each drove in two.
Bryce Fehmel started for the Beavers, scattering five hits and two runs in 3 2/3 innings. His counterpart, Kyle Robeniol, was chased after two innings, where he allowed six hits and seven runs – five earned.
Oregon State returns to action Thursday night when visiting Utah in a 5 p.m. PT start.
– Oregon State Athletics
