Beaver Baseball Offense stifled in Game One Loss To Cal State Fullerton

Fifth-ranked Oregon State had their three-game winning streak snapped on Friday in a duel of ace pitchers that ended in a 2-1 win for the visiting Titans.

The Beaver offense was almost completely shut down by Fullerton ace Mikiah Negrete, who threw an 111-pitch complete game and held Canham’s side to just three hits on the evening. Oregon State star right-hander Dax Whitney took his first stat-book loss of the season, despite allowing just two earned runs in seven innings of work. Whitney allowed six hits and struck out seven on 93 total pitches.

Fullerton got off to a quick start against the nation’s strikeout leader, grabbing an early lead at Goss Stadium. With one down in the top of the first, Paul Contreras came to the plate and belted a full-count double, then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Cameron Kim then hit a sacrifice ground out to first in the following at-bat.

Whitney escaped without further damage, but the Beaver lineup was set down in 11 pitches in their first trips to the plate. Dax then rebounded with a 1-2-3 top of the second.

The Titans added to their lead in the top of the third, after a successful replay challenge tallied another run for the visitors. With runners on the corners and just one down, Cameron Kim hit a soft grounder to shortstop Tyler Inge, who was able to roll it up for what was first called an inning-ending double play. Upon replay review, Kim barely beat out the play at first, scoring the runner from third and extending the inning. The Titans took a 2-0 lead to the bottom of the third. The Beavers again went down in order once again, and Negrete hadn’t allowed a baserunner through three.

Oregon State finally got something brewing in the bottom of the fourth. Glassco singled for OSU’s their first hit of the night, and Bryce Hubbard then worked a four-pitch walk to put two on with only one out. Singer hit a sacrifice fly to center with the bases loaded, cutting the deficit to one. But Negrete did well to limit the damage, picking up a huge bases-loaded strikeout in the following at-bat.

This was the only significant threat Oregon State would put up on the night. With one out in the ninth, leadoff man Easton Talt gave the Beavs a spark with a double, getting the tying run into scoring position. But Negrete got Glassco to ground out and then struck out Bruce Hubbard to finish off an incredible performance on the hill.

It was Oregon State’s first home loss of the season in a game that wasn’t a midweek matchup. The Beavers have not lost a series on the season, and they will have to win the next two against the Titans to keep that streak alive. First pitch Saturday is scheduled for 3:05 PM, with Ethan Kleinschmit on the mound.

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