CORVALLIS, Ore. – The fourth-ranked Oregon State baseball team swept Ball State in a doubleheader Friday at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field. The Beavers won game one, 5-0, before taking game two, 5-1.
The wins pushed Oregon State’s win streak to eight games and the Beavers will look to make it nine-in-a-row with the series finale Saturday at 1:35 p.m. PT. OSU enters the game with a 13-1 record, and Ball State is 8-7 on the year.
The Beavers scored early, and late, in the first game for the 5-0 win. Nick Madrigal led off Oregon State’s half of the first with a solo home run, then watched as Cadyn Grenier drove in a run via an infield single in the second.
Madrigal finished the game 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBI, while Grenier, KJ Harrison and Jack Anderson all had two hits to help power the Beavers’ 11-hit attack.
Luke Heimlich was dominant, striking out 11 for the second time this season. He allowed just two hits and did not issue a walk to improve to 3-0 on the year.
BJ Butler was charged with the loss for the Cardinals. He dropped to 1-2 after scattering nine hits and two runs over 6 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked three.
OSU found itself trailing by one entering the fifth, but took the lead for good with a three-run frame. Christian Donahue tied the game on a squeeze bunt, and later scored, along with Madrigal, on a single by Trevor Larnach.
The Beavers added two in the seventh – Larnach hit a sacrifice fly for his third RBI of the game and Adley Rutschman grounded out to first to drive in a run.
Grant Gambrell earned the win in game two after 1 2/3 innings of work in relief of starter Sam Tweedt. Gambrell picked up his first career win, and held Ball State to one walk and a hit by pitch while striking out one.
Jake Mulholland earned his first career save with three scoreless innings. He allowed three hits and struck out two.
Oregon State finished with nine hits in the game two win, with Madrigal, Donahue and Michael Gretler all finishing with two.
Sean Kennedy snapped Ball State’s scoreless streak – 19 innings to open the series – with a solo home run in the second.
Evan Marquadt took the loss for Ball State in game two after allowing four hits and three runs in five innings. He is 2-2 on the year.
Heimlich’s Year, So Far
Luke Heimlich has had a great start to the 2017 season. The junior is 3-0 with a 0.31 earned run average in his first four starts. The left-hander has struck out 36 to just three walks in 28 2/3 innings. Opponents have 16 hits off him and are batting .157.
Malone’s First Start
Freshman Tyler Malone made his first career start in the second game of the doubleheader, getting the nod at first base and batting fifth. He had appeared in three games prior to the start.
Limit Runs, Win Games
The Beavers limited Ball State to less than two runs in both of Friday’s victories. Oregon State has held opponents to two runs or less in 12 of 14 games this season. Naturally, the Beavers are 12-0 when that happens. OSU gave up three runs to Duke in the second game of the season, a 6-3 win, and six runs to Ohio State on Feb. 24, a 6-1 loss.
Scoreless Streak
Ball State’s Sean Kennedy hit a second-inning home run in the second game of the doubleheader to snap a 27-inning scoreless streak for the Oregon State staff. The Beavers had held Ball State scoreless for the first 19 innings of the series, and after allowing a solo run to UC Davis in the finale of that series, went eight scoreless against the Aggies.
Madrigal And The Long Ball
Nick Madrigal’s home run in the first game was his third of the season, and fourth of his career. His team-leading three also rank him third in the Pac-12 Conference.
Those First Two Innings
Oregon State outscored Ball State, 2-1, in the first two innings combined over the two games. The Beavers have now outscored opponents, 35-5, in the first two innings of games this season.
Up Next
Oregon State and Ball State conclude the four-game series Saturday with a 1:35 p.m. PT first pitch at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field.
The wins pushed Oregon State’s win streak to eight games and the Beavers will look to make it nine-in-a-row with the series finale Saturday at 1:35 p.m. PT. OSU enters the game with a 13-1 record, and Ball State is 8-7 on the year.
The Beavers scored early, and late, in the first game for the 5-0 win. Nick Madrigal led off Oregon State’s half of the first with a solo home run, then watched as Cadyn Grenier drove in a run via an infield single in the second.
Madrigal finished the game 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBI, while Grenier, KJ Harrison and Jack Anderson all had two hits to help power the Beavers’ 11-hit attack.
Luke Heimlich was dominant, striking out 11 for the second time this season. He allowed just two hits and did not issue a walk to improve to 3-0 on the year.
BJ Butler was charged with the loss for the Cardinals. He dropped to 1-2 after scattering nine hits and two runs over 6 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked three.
OSU found itself trailing by one entering the fifth, but took the lead for good with a three-run frame. Christian Donahue tied the game on a squeeze bunt, and later scored, along with Madrigal, on a single by Trevor Larnach.
The Beavers added two in the seventh – Larnach hit a sacrifice fly for his third RBI of the game and Adley Rutschman grounded out to first to drive in a run.
Grant Gambrell earned the win in game two after 1 2/3 innings of work in relief of starter Sam Tweedt. Gambrell picked up his first career win, and held Ball State to one walk and a hit by pitch while striking out one.
Jake Mulholland earned his first career save with three scoreless innings. He allowed three hits and struck out two.
Oregon State finished with nine hits in the game two win, with Madrigal, Donahue and Michael Gretler all finishing with two.
Sean Kennedy snapped Ball State’s scoreless streak – 19 innings to open the series – with a solo home run in the second.
Evan Marquadt took the loss for Ball State in game two after allowing four hits and three runs in five innings. He is 2-2 on the year.
Heimlich’s Year, So Far
Luke Heimlich has had a great start to the 2017 season. The junior is 3-0 with a 0.31 earned run average in his first four starts. The left-hander has struck out 36 to just three walks in 28 2/3 innings. Opponents have 16 hits off him and are batting .157.
Malone’s First Start
Freshman Tyler Malone made his first career start in the second game of the doubleheader, getting the nod at first base and batting fifth. He had appeared in three games prior to the start.
Limit Runs, Win Games
The Beavers limited Ball State to less than two runs in both of Friday’s victories. Oregon State has held opponents to two runs or less in 12 of 14 games this season. Naturally, the Beavers are 12-0 when that happens. OSU gave up three runs to Duke in the second game of the season, a 6-3 win, and six runs to Ohio State on Feb. 24, a 6-1 loss.
Scoreless Streak
Ball State’s Sean Kennedy hit a second-inning home run in the second game of the doubleheader to snap a 27-inning scoreless streak for the Oregon State staff. The Beavers had held Ball State scoreless for the first 19 innings of the series, and after allowing a solo run to UC Davis in the finale of that series, went eight scoreless against the Aggies.
Madrigal And The Long Ball
Nick Madrigal’s home run in the first game was his third of the season, and fourth of his career. His team-leading three also rank him third in the Pac-12 Conference.
Those First Two Innings
Oregon State outscored Ball State, 2-1, in the first two innings combined over the two games. The Beavers have now outscored opponents, 35-5, in the first two innings of games this season.
Up Next
Oregon State and Ball State conclude the four-game series Saturday with a 1:35 p.m. PT first pitch at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field.
