Hopkins delivers as No. 8 OSU beats USC

Beavers put out a solid, all-around game while dismantling Trojans starter Ryan Cook

By: Casey Grogan

Posted: 4/6/07

While their 12-game win streak was snapped last weekend, the No. 8 Oregon State baseball team continued its streak at home by extending it to seven straight home victories with a 9-5 victory over No. 25 USC (18-13 overall, 1-3 Pac-10).

The Beavers (24-6, 1-3) rebounded from their last series with improved pitching and defense. The most impressive Beaver stats in their win were having only two walks from their pitching staff and five strikeouts by Beaver batters.

"Last week was kind of an off week for us," starting pitcher Mike Stutes said. "Losing that first game took us by surprise. We were expecting to keep everything rolling."

The Oregon State defense flashed its leather throughout the game in the infield and outfield. In the top of the third, a slow swinging bunt grounder, which would have advanced a runner and extended the inning, was fielded and thrown on the run by third baseman Drew George. The following inning, shortstop Darwin Barney stabbed a hard hit line drive for an out. In the seventh with two outs and runners on second and third, Barney made a backhanded play for the final out of the inning, halting the Trojan threat.

"I thought we did a good job," coach Pat Casey said. "Keitzman got us a ground ball and defensively we got ourselves going."

Keeping the leather going, leftfielder John Wallace ran down a deep fly ball to make an out rather than surrender a sure double.

OSU starting pitcher Mike Stutes displayed that his hard work this past week had paid off by striking out six and giving up only two runs while improving his record to 7-1.

"This week we worked on getting back to what we were doing all season and getting back on the right foot," Stutes said. "Getting runs allows me to go out there and throw my pitches. I am not out there pitching against their guy, I am just throwing against their hitters."

The Trojan pitching staff struggled as starting pitcher Ryan Cook reached 70 pitches by just the fourth inning. He left the game in the sixth having thrown 93 pitches and surrendering five runs.

The Beavers scored nine runs thanks to hot bats at the top of the lineup. Centerfielder Chris Hopkins delivered an RBI single in the third and was knocked in by following batter John Wallace, putting the Beavers up 2-0. A third straight single this time off the bat of Barney scored the third run of the inning.

Hopkins continued to swing well by hitting a two-run double to center in the fourth and finished the game with 3 RBI and 2 hits. With the Beavers up 5-1, Trojan first baseman J.J. Owens got USC going by nailing a solo home run. He was not finished as he hit his second homer, a two-run bomb in the eighth inning to cut the Beaver lead to 9-4, but it was not enough for the Trojans on Thursday night.

"It just felt good to win," Hopkins said. "We knew we had to come back and win and we did that."

The series continues today and Saturday at Goss Stadium. Today's game is scheduled at 5 p.m. and pits Joe Paterson against Trojan starter Brad Boxberger. The series wraps up Saturday at noon as Daniel Turpen takes the hill for the Beavers.