PREVIEW: #6 Oregon State Wraps Regular Season This Weekend

The long grind of the regular season has built up to this moment. #6 Oregon State, 41-11 so far this year, wraps up their schedule this weekend.

In three games against Air Force tonight through Saturday, the Beavers get three more chances to pad their postseason resume. This series also represents their last regular season home games in front of Beaver Nation at Goss Stadium in Corvallis. If all goes well, the orange & black could host a regional, or more.

This piece spotlights three storylines to follow this weekend.

Ethan Kleinschmit is this team's new pitching ace

While Oregon State lost All-American starting pitcher Dax Whitney for the season, hope is not lost. Thankfully, they can still rely on fellow All-American starter Ethan Kleinschmit.

The junior from Mt. Angel struggled in his first Friday appearance this season - allowing eight hits and three homers in a May Day defeat - but recovered nicely against Long Beach State last week. He stayed perfect through four innings. When his day ended after five full frames, Oregon State's new Friday starter struck out six batters, allowing just two hits and a walk. Thanks to his efforts, the Beavers got the win, setting up a weekend sweep.

Without Whitney, Oregon State's road through the postseason is perilous. Thanks to Kleinschmit, Beaver Nation remains optimistic about a return to Omaha.

A host seed is on the line

Years ago, I had the pleasure of speaking with then-Oregon State reliever Dylan Pearce on my old radio show in Southern Oregon. A day removed from a clutch midweek win, Pearce gave credit to Goss Stadium's homefield advantage, sharing a phrase that his dugout coined to describe what happened to opponents in Corvallis: "Goss got'em."

That phrase has stuck in my mind ever since. Oregon State home games deliver one of the nation's highest average attendance numbers, an impressive television audience, and an intimidation factor. Every day, opposing teams are forced to read the "NATIONAL CHAMPIONS" signage adorning the left field fence. Goss Stadium fans certainly got'em last June, when the Beavers climbed out of the elimination bracket to win their Corvallis Regional, then out-fought Florida State in a three game Corvallis Super Regional, en route to the College World Series.

Currently, the Beavers sit outside the top 16 in the RPI rankings, a key metric used by the NCAA baseball postseason selection committee. Without a sweep this weekend, their postseason fate - and their valuable homefield advantage - hangs in the balance.

Air Force has upset potential

Don't let their .500 overall record (24-24) fool you, Air Force is playing their best baseball when it matters most. The Falcons are 15-9 in Mountain West play this season, with 6 wins in their last 10 games. The bright lights of Goss Stadium will provide no shock to this team, which is battle-hardened after an extra-innings thriller against Washington State last weekend.

True freshman cleanup batter Wyatt Hanoian, the Falcons' second baseman, has had a memorable first season in Colorado Springs: a season high 4 hits in a game April 4th against San Diego State, 3 doubles in a game April 25th against San Diego State, and an extra-innings walkoff last Sunday to beat Wazzu. So far this season, he is batting .371 and slugging 1.123. Deeper in the order, first baseman Garrett Hutchins leads Air Force with a team-high 1.209 slugging percentage.

This team can hit, they will fight, and they could steal a game or two if the Beavers aren't careful.

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