Baseball swings away in team scrimmages

Veteran leadership has strong outings in first two games of Orange and Black World Series while new class continues to improve during fall season

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Posted: 10/24/07

The Oregon State baseball team could not decide on a winner in the second game of the Orange and Black World Series on Tuesday at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field. Despite an early lead from the black club, the game ended in a 7-7 tie in the seven-inning affair.

The black club took an early lead, going up 7-3 after four innings. Erik Ammon drove in a run in both the second and third innings, while Lonnie Lechelt and Daniel Robertson each got runners home in the fourth. Jason Ogata hit a home run over the batting cages in left field in the third.

The gray club chipped away at the lead, beginning with three runs in the fifth. Rob Folsom started the inning's scoring with a two-run double, and scored two batters later when Jackson Evans reached on an error.The gray team evened the score in the sixth. Chris Hopkins made it to first on a throwing error to begin the inning, then went to third on a wild pitch. Ryan Ortiz, the third batter of the inning, made it a 7-7 game when he drove in Hopkins on a ground out to short.

The black squad had a chance to take the lead in the top of the seventh. Robertson walked to start the inning, but Ortiz threw him out on the next at bat, while Jordan Lennerton struck out on the play.

Brad Reid got the call to start for the black squad and went a full three innings, striking out one. He scattered six hits and two runs in his first work of the week. Reid was relieved by Alex Besaw in the fourth. He went 1 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and four runs while walking one and striking out two.

Josh Osich was the third pitcher of the afternoon for the black team and went 1 2/3 innings. He allowed just one hit and one run while striking out one. Taylor Starr worked the seventh for the black squad to close out the game. He struck out one in his one inning of work.

Chad Nading started for the team dressed in gray and worked 2 1/3 innings, striking out one. He allowed three hits and five runs. Nading was relieved by three pitchers, including Brad Kidd, who came on in the third and threw one full inning. Kidd scattered three hits and two runs.

Kyle Cefalo also threw for the gray club, pitching 2/3 of an inning. He allowed just one hit. Josh Keller came on in relief for Cefalo in the fifth and closed out the game, going three innings. Keller allowed just one base runner - Robertson on a walk in the seventh - and struck out four.

Lechelt posted two hits for the black team, while Lennerton walked twice. Logan Boyd had three hits - a double and two singles - to pace the gray team, while Ortiz had two hits as well.

On Monday, the team opened the Orange and Black World Series with the black team winning, 5-3, in a six-inning affair.

"It's great to get into a competitive situation, split up the teams and have some fun with it," Casey said. "The weather is absolutely beautiful. We had a good, tight game and this is chance for us to be competitive as we're getting down to the last part of fall ball. Guys are really trying to earn some jobs."

Robertson paced the black club offensively, finishing with two hits. He doubled home Lechelt in the first, then drove in John Tommasini with a single in the third.

Drew George, meanwhile, also drove in two runs for the black club. He grounded out to short in the first, getting Robertson in from third, and flew out to right on a sacrifice fly in the second, bringing in Lechelt.

Tommasini and Lechelt also finished with one hit for the black team. Tommasini singled in the third while Lechelt doubled to left center in the first.

Hopkins, Brandon Hayes, Ogata and Ortiz all posted one hit apiece for the gray club, with Ogata doubling to right in the third.

The black team's starting and relief pitchers both went a full three innings apiece. Mark Grbavac started for the black squad and scattered three hits and two runs - both unearned - while striking out one. Kyle Foster came on in the fourth and scattered two hits and one run while striking out one.

Blake Keitzman got the nod for the gray squad and allowed four hits and five runs in three innings of work. He struck out three while walking two. Brad Kidd worked in relief for the club and struck out three in two innings. He did not allow a hit and walked two.

The series continues today at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field, with first pitch scheduled for approximately 2:45 p.m.