Oregon State Scores Six Late To Take Series Over LBSU

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Wade Meckler, Travis Bazzana and Garret Forrester all doubled twice and helped No. 3 Oregon State to six runs in its final two turns at bat in an 8-2 win over Long Beach State Friday night at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field.
 
Cooper Hjerpe struck out 11 in seven innings to improve to 8-0, helping Oregon State to the series victory over the Dirtbags (15-18 overall). Hjerpe scattered five hits and two runs in his ninth start the season.
 
His eight wins lead the nation and he upped his strikeout total to 88 this season, which leads the Pac-12 Conference.
 
Meckler paced the nine-hit Oregon State (26-7) offensive attack with three of his own. He doubled and later scored in the Beavers' three-run seventh. Meckler doubled again in the eighth, driving home Kyle Dernedde and Jake Dukart during OSU's three-run frame.
 
Bazzana's second double of the game drove home Meckler during that three-run eighth, capping the game's scoring. His first double of the game, coming in the seventh, served as the game-winner when it drove in Meckler.
 
Forrester, meanwhile, doubled in the fourth and seventh innings. His second went just over the bag at third, driving in a run to make it a 4-2 lead. He then scored on a wild pitch for the Beavers' fifth run of the game.
 
Matt Fields took the loss for LBSU, dropping to 0-1 on the year. He allowed two hits and three runs in 2 1/3 innings of relief.
 
Next Up
The teams conclude the series Saturday with a 1:35 p.m. PT first pitch at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field. Tickets can be purchased by visiting BeaverTickets.com.
 
Oregon State Notes
- Long Beach State's fourth-inning run snapped a streak of 19 2/3 scoreless innings for Cooper Hjerpe. The run allowed was Hjerpe's first since he gave up three in five innings on March 25 at California.
- The Oregon State pitching staff saw its streak of four consecutive games without issuing a walk snapped in the first inning. LBSU's Sebastian Murillo drew a 3-2 walk off Hjerpe.
- Hjerpe, however, proceeded to strike out the side in the first after the walk.
- Garret Forrester, Travis Bazzana and Wade Meckler all doubled to become the first Beavers with two in a game since Mason Guerra against Arizona State on March 19. Oregon State's batters have totaled two doubles in a game eight times this season.
- Oregon State's six doubles as a team, in fact, set a single-game high this season. OSU had previously hit four three times, most recently on March 30 at Nevada.
- Wade Meckler made his first start of the season in right field. He made a leaping catch to rob LBSU of extra bases to end the seventh.
- Meckler has also now reached base safely in all 33 games this season. He is the only Beaver to reach base in every game this season.
- The Beavers improved to 16-2 in non-conference games this season.
- OSU also got its sixth quality start of the season, and fifth from Cooper Hjerpe. The Beavers are 5-1 when their starter tallies a quality start.
- By comparison, OSU's opponents have earned six quality starts on the year as well.
 
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