SURPRISE, Ariz. – Sam Tweedt scattered two hits and a run in six innings and Elliott Cary went 3-for-4 to pace the seventh-ranked Oregon State baseball team in an 11-2 win Sunday morning at Surprise Stadium.
The Oregon State (3-0 overall) offense tallied 14 hits in support of Tweedt, making his first appearance since the 2015 season. Christian Donahue, KJ Harrison and Cadyn Grenier all had two hits apiece for the Beavers, while Cary and Harrison drove in two runs apiece.
Tweedt picked up the win, improving to 9-1 all-time. He allowed two singles and two walks while striking out three. He tossed 81 pitches, 51 of which went for strikes.
Grant Gambrell, making his collegiate debut, recorded the save after three innings of relief. The right-hander allowed three hits and an unearned run while striking out one.
Ryan Day started for Duke (0-4), allowing seven hits and five runs in 5 1/3 innings. He took the loss.The Beavers, down 1-0 after the Blue Devils scored in the top half of the first, plated three in their first turn at bat. Harrison, Cary and Adley Rutschman drove in runs during the frame.
Oregon State added solo runs in the second and sixth innings before breaking the game open with a five-run seventh inning. That included three consecutive RBI singles from Cary, pinch hitter Zak Taylor and Grenier.
More Newcomers Making An Impact
Gambrell made his mark from the bullpen Sunday, but he wasn’t the only freshmen to make their debut against the Blue Devils. Tyler Malone came on as a pinch hitter and drove in a run via a fielder’s choice, while George Mendazona came on as a defensive replacement at third and handled his only defensive opportunity cleanly.
Holding Opponents Down
The Oregon State pitching staff has dominated through the first three games of the season. The staff has allowed just five runs – two earned – in 27 innings. Oregon State’s pitchers have also allowed only 18 hits and nine walks while striking out 27. The team’s earned run average is 0.67 and opponents are batting .186.
Cary’s Day
Cary singled in the first, sixth and seventh innings for his first multi-hit game of the season. The redshirt sophomore did not play in 2016 after playing in 36 games as a freshman.
Turn Two
Oregon State was unable to turn a double play in Friday’s doubleheader, but spun two in Sunday’s win over Duke. The first came in the first inning on a 4-6-3 turn started by Nick Madrigal. The second got Gambrell out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth, a 5-4-3 turn that kept the score at 10-1, at the time.
That’s Some Youth
Of the 10 players in Oregon State’s lineup, eight were freshmen or sophomores. Only Christian Donahue (left field) and KJ Harrison (first base) are considered upperclassmen – both are in their junior seasons. Seven of the 10 in the lineup were sophomores, with Adley Rutschman, behind the plate, the lone freshman.
Up Next
Oregon State closes out its first tournament in Arizona by taking on Indiana Monday at Surprise Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for10 a.m. PT (11 a.m. in Arizona). The game is a re-match from Friday’s season opener where the Beavers were victorious, 1-0.
Courtesy of OSUBeavers.com
