3/21/2022 baseball Edit

Oregon State Baseball Sweeps Pac-12 Weekly Honors

Brenden Slaughter • BeaversEdge

Publisher

PROMO: Join BeaversEdge.com and get 30 DAYS FREE!

MORE: A Closer Look At Oregon State's Recent Quarterback Offers | WBB: Beavers Advance In WNIT | Florida ATH Talks OSU Offer, Recruitment

SAN FRANCISCO – Oregon State left-handed pitcher Cooper Hjerpe and infielder Travis Bazzana swept the Pac-12 Conference’s weekly awards on Monday. Hjerpe has been named the conference’s Pitcher of the Week, while Bazzana is the Player of the Week.

Hjerpe’s honor is the second of his career while Bazzana earns his first in his freshman campaign.

Hjerpe’s comes on the heels of a 12-strikeout performance against Arizona State in the Beavers’ 21-0 series-opening victory Friday night. He allowed just one hit over seven innings – a third-inning single – while walking two. The Sun Devils managed to put just one runner into scoring position. The 12 strikeouts for Hjerpe are a career-high, surpassing 11 against Arizona in 2021.

The Capay, Calif., native is tied for the nation’s lead with five wins this season. He also sports a 1.88 earned run average and has 44 strikeouts, which is tied for the Pac-12 lead.

Bazzana came within one RBI of etching his name into the Oregon State record books Friday night. He drove in eight runs, one shy of tying Ken Bowen’s (1985) school record. He drove in his first four on a grand slam in the first, which also marked his first career home run. Bazzana then drove in two apiece on two more hits, all coming by the end of the fourth inning.

The Sydney, Australia native homered again on Saturday and finished the week, over five games, with 11 RBI on the strength of eight hits, the two home runs, and one walk. He also played flawless defense, totaling 17 assists and six putouts. He has started every game for OSU this season, and is batting .338 with four doubles, two triples, two home runs and 23 RBI. The 23 RBI tie for third in the Pac-12.

Hjerpe is the 98th all-time Pitcher of the Week honor for the Beavers, which leads the conference. Bazzana’s selection, meanwhile, is the 79th Player of the Week award by an OSU player, which ranks third in the Pac-12.