Junior shortstop Darwin Barney tries to make a play over the weekend against Washington State.

No. 16 baseball can't generate runs in WSU series

Beavers fall short in bookend games of series to cost them shot at moving up in conference

By: Casey Grogan

Posted: 5/16/07

Baseball is a sport in which a team consisting of individuals competes against another team of individuals in hopes that one team as a whole will be victorious. A lack of individual victories, however, cost the entirety of the Oregon State team a series against the lowly Washington State Cougars last weekend.

From the get-go, the seventh-place Cougars had the No. 16 Beavers (36-13 overall, 8-10 Pac-10) numbered as Washington State (25-22, 8-13 Pac-10) touched up OSU ace Mike Stutes for five runs. On offense, they failed to score more than 10 runs combined in their two losses to WSU.

"It is tough when we don't put ourselves in situations to succeed," shortstop Darwin Barney said. "We are playing from behind; we have to instigate a little earlier and just get it done. When you let a team come in and stomp on you on your own field, it doesn't feel too good."

The issue in Game One was a lack of runners to begin with. Double plays and the inability to make solid contact off Cougar starter Wayne Daman Jr. created problems, as OSU was beaten, 5-4 on Friday. Second baseman Joey Wong and left fielder Mike Lissman led OSU with two hits apiece in the loss.

"We're just not doing the fundamentals of the game," coach Pat Casey said. "When a bunts on and we can't get it down, just things within the game we are not doing."

In Game Two, something changed, and the Beavers lit up the Washington State pitching staff in an 11-5 victory. With the lineup jumbled around, Mitch Canham slipped into the designated hitter spot, Jason Ogata moved to leftfield, and catcher Erik Ammon earned a start.

As it has been for most of the year, it took a big inning or two for the Beavers to put themselves ahead of their opponent. In the fourth, the Beavers plated three on a bases-loaded double by first baseman Jordan Lennerton. The Cougars kept Oregon State from scoring until the seventh inning when the Beavers put up five runs.

"Whatever we have to do to win games, it doesn't matter," Lissman said. "We can't let teams hang around; we have to bury guys early."

On Sunday, the Beavers regressed to Friday's form and were unable to respond to the Cougar's bats or pitching staff. After WSU scored two runs in the first two innings, the Beavers responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the second as Ogata scored on a single by outfielder Braden Wells. It appeared the Beavers would remain in the game until Cougar starter Jayson Miller got on a roll, retiring eight straight OSU batters.

Washington State backed up their pitcher by scoring three more runs, giving the Cougars a 5-1 lead heading into the late innings. After throwing eight innings, Miller was replaced by closer Ross Humes in a non-save situation. Humes quickly retired Barney before giving up a bloop double to Ogata, who was driven in on Lissman's two-run homer to left field, his second in as many days.

The loss was credited to freshman Jorge Reyes, his first of his collegiate career.

"Pitches came out, and Jorge threw well," Lissman said. "He gave us a chance to win."

Oregon State looks to turn things around in the next two weeks against top conference teams No. 6 Arizona State and UCLA. The Beavers need victories to remain in talks for postseason play.

"We are at the point where our backs are against the wall," Lissman said. "That seems to be when we play our best. We need to take the bull by its horns right now."