Cal Baseball: Bears Top No. 5 Oregon State in Walk-Off Fashion Second Day in a Row

Cal beats the fifth-ranked Beavers again by scoring three runs in the bottom of the ninth on one hit and a walk-off walk as the Bears record their seventh straight win

Another day, another walk-off win over the nation’s fifth-ranked team.

For the second day in a row, Cal defeated fifth-ranked Oregon State in walk-off fashion, although Saturday’s 8-7 victory over the Beavers was a little less glamorous than Friday’s 10-8 win over Oregon State. This time a walk-off walk gave Cal the win for the Bears’ seventh straight victory.

On Friday, Seth Gwynn’s two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning sent Cal home a winner.

On Saturday, Cal trailed by two runs entering the bottom of the ninth, and the Bears scored three runs in that frame on just one hit, a single. Three walks, one hit batter and an error did the damage this time.  A throwing error plated the Bears’ first run of the inning, and after Caleb Lomavita was intentionally walked to load the bases, Cal tied the score when Rodney Green Jr. was hit by a pitch, forcing in the tying run.

The bases remained loaded for Carson Crawford, who took ball four on a 3-1 count to force in the winning run.

Cal’s record after its seventh straight win improved to 23-14 overall and 10-10 in the Pac-12.  Oregon State slipped to 30-8 overall, including 10-6 in the conference.

Gwynn hot his second home run of the weekend on Saturday, and Lomavita hit his 12th homer of the season, tying him for fourth in the Pac-12.  Green, who has been hot lately, drove in three runs for the Bears.

Robert Aivazian was the winning pitcher, throwing 2 1/3 innings of shutout ball without giving up a hit or a walk.  He blanked the Bears over the final two innings and gave the Bears a chance to rally from the 7-3 deficit they faced after 6 ½ innings.

Cover photo by Leroy Yau