Beavers Sweep Grand Canyon With Comeback Win

PHOENIX – Andy Armstrong and Troy Claunch each homered and Jacob Melton drove in the game-winning run in the eighth inning to send the Beavers to a 4-2 win over Grand Canyon at Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark.

Oregon State’s win sent the Beavers to a sweep of the four-game series. OSU also improved to 7-1 on the team’s eight-game trip to open the 2021 season.

The comeback win marked the Beavers’ second of the series. OSU won game two, 3-1, thanks to a ninth-inning, three-run rally on Friday night.

Armstrong drove a 2-2 pitch over the left-field wall to open the eighth inning, tying the game at two. Wade Meckler followed that with his second hit of the game, a single, and moved to second on a sac bunt. Melton then drove a 3-2 pitch to center for a run-scoring double to give the Beavers a one-run lead.

Claunch followed that up with a solo shot in the ninth to give the Beavers breathing room.

Claunch had three hits to pace the OSU 12-hit attack while Wade Meckler and Preston Jones each had two.

Meckler got the Beavers on the board first, thanks to a run-scoring double off the wall in left in the second inning. It allowed Kyler McMahan to score from first after he had singled to open the inning.

Grand Canyon (3-5) evened the score on a groundout by Brock Burton in the third, then took the lead, 2-1, when Juan Colato hit a pinch-hit single in the sixth.

Oregon State starter Will Frisch scattered three hits and a run in four innings. The righty walked three and struck out three. He did not figure in the decision.

Bryant Salgado picked up the win, improving to 1-0 this season, after throwing two scoreless innings of relief.

Frisch’s counterpart, Carter Young, worked five innings, allowing seven hits and a run with four strikeouts and two walks. Like Frisch, he did not figure in the decision.

Nick Hull, who allowed three hits and two runs in two innings, took the loss, dropping to 0-1 this season.

Next Up

Oregon State returns to Corvallis to open an 11-game homestand. The Beavers host BYU in a three-game series that starts Thursday night at 5:35 p.m. PT.

Follow The Game

Thursday’s series opener will be live-streamed; the link can be found by visiting osubeavers. Live stats, info on the Beaver Sports Network and TuneIn and more can also be found by visiting osubeavers.com.

Starters Final In Phoenix

Oregon State’s starting pitchers – Kevin Abel, Cooper Hjerpe, Jake Pfennigs and Frisch – combined to limit Grand Canyon to 11 hits and two earned runs in 21 innings. The Lopes walked eight times to 20 strikeouts. On the year, the OSU starting staff has held opponents to 27 hits and nine earned runs in 40 1/3 innings, a 1.79 earned run average.

15-Game Streak

McMahan extended his hit streak to 15 games with an infield single in the second. He later scored when Wade Meckler doubled to left.

Nearly His Second

Armstrong’s eighth-inning home run was his first of the season but it very well could have been his second. The senior hit a deep fly to left in the sixth that was caught at the base of the fence.

OSU Athletics