PHOENIX – Jake Pfennigs held the Grand Canyon to two hits in six goalless entries to accelerate Oregon State to a 9-2 victory Saturday afternoon at Brazell Field at the GCU Ballpark.
Pfennigs launched his second career-quality start after eliminating four in his second participation in the 2021 season. The Grand Canyon (3-4 overall) managed to put only two runners in a scoring position against the second year.
Pfennigs took the win to improve 1-0 this season and 4-3 for life.
Neither team managed to offend much in the first five innings, but the Beavers opened the game by sending 10 hitters to the plate in the sixth. OSU scored first when Preston Jones walked with the bases loaded.
OSU (6-1) made 2-0 in a wild shot and then 3-0 when Joe Casey was hit by a 3-1 shot. Troy Claunch crowned the inning with two starts, two single runs to the center for the lead of five runs.
The Grand Canyon reached two points in the eighth when Elijah Buries chose to stop the appeaser Jaren Hunter, bringing two. He hit a streak of 13 goalless entries by the OSU pitching team.
Chase Watkins came in relief from Hunter in the eighth and took the last two outs of the inning to preserve the 5-2 lead.
Oregon State scored four races in the ninth. Andy Armstrong, Kyle Dernedde, Ryan Ober and Joe Casey everyone rushed each to push the OSU lead to 9-2.
Armstrong doubled twice and led the Beavers with three hits. Ober finished 2 in 3 with three steps, while Casey and Kyler McMahan had two hits each as well.
GCU holder Jack Schneider lasted four entries before being pulled in favor of right-handed relief Keaton Glover. It was Glover who suffered the defeat after allowing two hits and five runs in 12/3 innings. He hit five, but he also walked three. Glover is now 0-1 in the year.
Next
Oregon State and Grand Canyon conclude their four game series on Sunday. The first pitch at Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark is scheduled for 11am PT (12pm in Arizona).
Follow the game
Follow Sunday’s game via TuneIn radio on the Beaver Sports Network and also on a live broadcast produced by the Grand Canyon. Both links can be found by visiting the programming page at osubeavers.com.
On the Hill
Oregon State is scheduled to start right-handed launcher Will Frisch (1-0, 3.60 ERA). The Grand Canyon is counterattacking with right-handed pitcher Carter Young (1-0, 3.60).
Big in the sixth
Oregon State’s five races in the sixth entry pushed the OSU season total to 19 this season. OSU scored more runs on Friday than the total allowed by his pitching team this season.
For beginners in three games
Oregon State regular pitchers – Kevin abel, Cooper Hjerpe and Jake Pfennigs – agreed to limit the Grand Canyon to just seven hits and a race on 17 entries. They agreed to issue just five hikes with 17 eliminations.
Top six
Oregon State’s top six hitters – Preston Jones, Ryan Ober, Joe Casey, Troy Claunch, Kyler McMahan and Andy Armstrong – combined to go 11 to 27 with four pairs, nine walks and seven RBI.
Streak of six games
Oregon State’s win brought the Beavers’ winning streak to six games, the biggest since the 2019 club won its first 10 games of the season.
13 walks
The Oregon state offense amounted to 13 hikes for just seven eliminations. The 13 walks surpassed the team’s previous best, 12 against Gonzaga, on February 21.
Back to lineup
Matthew Gretler, Justin Boyd and Kyle Dernedde they all made their second start in 2021. For Boyd, it was the first since the season opened on February 19 against Kansas State. Gretler and Dernedde, for their part, debuted in the third game of the season, February 21, against Gonzaga. Fifteen players in different positions made at least one start in 2021, with 14 making two or more.
Follow us on social media
For more information about the Oregon State baseball team, follow the club’s official Twitter account at Twitter.com/BeaverBaseball, Facebook at Facebook.com/OregonStateBaseball or Instagram at Instagram.com/BeaverBaseball.
OUR MISSION
Oregon State Athletics strives to Build ANDxcellent ONEauthentic Visionary sstudent-ONEthletes (Go BEAVS).