2/26/2022 baseball Edit

Oregon State Baseball Sweeps Xavier

Brenden Slaughter • BeaversEdge

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SURPRISE, Ariz. – Mitchell Verburg struck out Jerry Huntzinger with the tying run on third base in the top of the ninth to send 12th-ranked Oregon State to a 5-4 win and series sweep of Xavier Saturday afternoon at Surprise Stadium.

Xavier’s Matthew Deprey drove a pitch from Verburg to right for a sac fly a play earlier, enabling the Musketeers’ fourth run of the game. And it pushed Eddie Rivero to third with the tying run. But Verburg was able to Huntzinger swinging on an 0-2 pitch, ending the game and sending Oregon State to a 7-0 record as the Beavers prepare to leave Surprise.

Oregon State jumped out early to a 4-0 lead, scoring solo runs in both the first and third innings and two more in the fifth. Jacob Melton and TJ Wheeler both drove in runs in the fifth, while Travis Bazzana drove in the run in the first and Justin Boyd in the run in third.

Xavier (0-7) pulled to within one, 4-3, on a three-run home run by Luke Franzoni in the eighth.

OSU picked up an insurance run in the eighth when Kyle Dernedde came in from third on a passed ball.

Wade Meckler led the 11-hit Beaver attack with three of his own. Melton and Garret Forrester each had two.

Jacob Kmatz picked up the win, his second of the season, after throwing 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. Verburg picked up the save, his first of the year.

George Eisenhardt allowed eight hits and four runs in 4 2/3 innings. He took the loss to drop to 0-2.

Next Up

Oregon State returns home to play its first game of the 2022 season at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field. The Beavers host Seattle Tuesday at 5:35 p.m. PT.

Melton

- Melton now has six multiple-hit games this season. The outfielder only recorded one hit in the second game of the series versus Xavier, but drove in two runs in the game.

- He had 11 in 25 games last season.

Kmatz

- Kmatz made his second appearance of the season Saturday, working 3 1/3 innings in relief.

- The righty has held opponents to nine hits and two runs in 8 1/3 innings, posting a 2.16 earned run average. He also has five strikeouts to no walks.

Zero Errors

- Saturday’s game marked the first time this season than an OSU opponent did not commit an error.