Beavs Sweep Aztecs

Kavin Keyes, Jeff Hendrix and Andy Peterson drove in two runs apiece and Dylan Davis posted three hits to send the No. 6 Oregon State baseball team to a 7-1 win and sweep of San Diego State Sunday at Tony Gwynn Stadium. In the process, the Beavers picked up their eighth win and best start to a season in 51 years.

Oregon State is 8-0 two weeks into the season, a mark the Beavers last achieved in 1962.

"This has been a long but productive trip for this team," said Oregon State head coach Pat Casey, referring to the team's 10-day road trip that ended Sunday. "We're excited about the start of the season and look forward to seeing our fans Friday in our home opener."

The four-game sweep of the Aztecs (3-4 overall) marked the Beavers' first on the road since taking the first four games of the 2007 season from Hawai'i-Hilo.

Unlike the first three games of the series, the Beavers got on the board early. Jeff Hendrix picked up two RBI on his first career hit, a single up the middle, in the first off SDSU starter Cody Thompson. Oregon State knocked Thompson out of the game in the third with three doubles that helped lead to three runs and a 5-1 lead.

Davis and Hayes reached on consecutive doubles and scored when Kavin Keyes found the gap in left with the third double of the inning. Andy Peterson drove in the inning's final run on a bases-loaded walk.

OSU made it 6-1 in the sixth when Michael Conforto doubled to open the inning and later scored when Hayes reached on a hard hit infield single. Peterson drove in the game's last run on a single in the ninth for his second RBI of the day.

Davis' three hits tied a season-best for the sophomore, matching his performance against the Aztecs Saturday. Oregon State finished with 14 hits as a team - Conforto, Hayes, Peterson, Keyes and Hendrix all had two apiece.

Thompson, making his first collegiate appearance for the Aztecs, took the loss after allowing five runs and five hits in 2 1/3 innings. He is 0-1 on the year.

Clay Bauer started and made his first appearance as well for the Beavers. The right-hander did not figure in the decision after going 1 2/3 innings, scattering a run and one hit. He was relieved by Brandon Jackson with a runner on first and two outs in the second inning.

Jackson earned the win, the first of his collegiate career, after throwing 4 1/3 innings of strong relief. He allowed four hits and no runs while striking out two.

Scott Schultz pitched the game's final three innings for his second save of the season.

The Oregon State staff held San Diego State to just two runs in the four-game series - solo runs in the sixth inning of game one and in the first inning in the finale Sunday. The staff walked just five in 36 innings and limited the Aztecs to 21 hits overall.

Oregon State returns to Goss Stadium Friday for the team's 2013 home opener against Bryant, a 5:35 p.m. PT start. The game is the start of the series, which sees the teams match up twice again Saturday and once Sunday.