The Barometer Online

Issue date: 4/16/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Luke Wenker Chris Hopkins scores a critical run during the Sunday game against the Golden Bears with the aid of OSU's Darwin Barney and Mike Lissman.

In a hostile home environment, the OSU baseball team took the series against the Cal Golden Bears after a 5-3 victory in game three.

Hostility directed toward the Golden Bears (18-19, 3-6 Pac-10) was common throughout the weekend series. But the No. 8 Beavers (28-8, 4-5) really served Cal some hostility in game three when the bats came alive.

"They were kind of jawing at us from their dugout," starting pitcher Mike Stutes said. "We tried to use that to our advantage by firing our guys up. Using that as a rallying point, trying to get on with the series, Mitch and Lissman wanted to use that as motivation. They were jawing at us in our own yard - we had to use that as motivation."

Beginning in game one of the series, the Golden Bears used stall tactics to shake up the rhythm of the Beavers and enable pitchers to get ready in the bullpen. While this seemed to work in Saturday's 4-0 victory over OSU, it did not work in game three, as it only riled up the OSU players and fans.

"It felt like a pitch at a time this weekend," head coach Pat Casey said. "The Pac-10 is brutal. If you do anything wrong, people capitalize on it."

As Beaver fans began to get on the Golden Bears, Cal center fielder Michael Capbarat laced a ball to right, just out of reach of right fielder Scott Santschi, clearing the fence by inches for a home run. The Bears continued to roll, as David Cooper scored on a single to give the Bears a 2-0 lead after the first inning.

Slump-busting began in the second inning as Beaver third baseman Drew George took a hanging curve ball over the wall for a two-run homer, his first as a Beaver.

"I was just trying to make contact with a guy on third base," George said. "I didn't want to end the inning without getting that run in. The guy hung the curve ball, and I hit it out. It was my first home run at Oregon State, so that was kind of cool. Any time you hit a home run, it's going to lift the team. I definitely needed that boost for myself."

The Beavers played some small ball in the third inning, when center fielder Chris Hopkins reached on an error. Hopkins was bunted over to second by shortstop Darwin Barney, then advanced to third on a passed ball during designated hitter Mike Lissman's at-bat. A few pitches later in Lissman's at-bat, the senior ripped himself a base hit to score Hopkins and give the Beavers a 3-2 lead.

Continued...

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