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Beres Blast Caps Wild 25-22 Win Over Oregon State

by uclabruins.com
May 28, 2022
Tommy Beres (photo: Jason Digos Jr.)

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – UCLA and Oregon State engaged in one of the wildest games in college baseball history on Saturday afternoon as part of the Pac-12 Tournament, with the Bruins picking up a 25-22 win on a three-run walk-off home run from redshirt sophomore Tommy Beres.

The blast from Beres served as the final swerve in a game that was full of twists and turns. The two teams nearly-incessantly posted crooked numbers throughout the game, which resulted in OSU holding a 21-12 heading into the last of the ninth.

However, the Bruins (38-21) got the first nine runners aboard before an out was recorded in the ninth, ultimately rallying all the way back to tie it up at 21-21 and send it to extras.

OSU (43-14) managed to plate a single run in the tenth, but UCLA maintained its offensive momentum with a game-winning four-spot in the bottom half.

The Bruins immediately put on pressure in extras, loading the bases with nobody out after a leadoff Michael Curialle base hit up the middle, a sharp double into right from Ethan Gourson, and an intentional walk to Kyle Karros.

The game-tying run would come across on a balk by Beavers' closer Ryan Brown, then Beres teed off on a 1-1 offering and sent it over the left-field wall to end the five-hour, 44-minute contest.

The roundtripper served as the cherry on top of an all-time day for Beres. It was his first-career homer, and – after entering the game as a defensive replacement in the sixth – he notched seven RBIs in just five innings of action to more than double his career total.

At the conclusion of the game, the two teams had combined for 47 runs, 53 hits, 527 pitches, and 16 pitchers.

UCLA's comeback rally was started off by an error, as the OSU third baseman bobbled a grounder off the bat of Carson Yates to allow him to reach. After a walk and a single loaded the bases, Daylen Reyes wore a 1-0 pitch to force in a run.

After that, Curialle sharply singled up the middle to bring in a pair, then Gourson followed up with a four-pitch walk to reload the bases.

Beres and Kenny Oyama followed up with back-to-back two run doubles that brought the Bruins within one and put the game-tying run on second with nobody out.

Two batters later, Oyama used his speed to score from third on a Jack Holman grounder.

With such an overall productive day offensively – UCLA matched a season-high for runs while its 25 hits were its most in a game since 2008 – it's no surprise that a wide number of Bruins had notable offensive days.

Beres's seven RBIs were the most by a Bruin this season, Kenny Oyama went 5-6 with five RBIs, Kyle Karros did a little bit of everything (4-5, four runs, three RBIs, three walks) while only being retired once on the day, and Gourson (4-6, five runs) and Curialle (4-7, four runs) both had four-hit games.  

With the win, UCLA is set to re-match OSU later on Saturday night, with the winner advancing to the Pac-12 Tournament Championship Game.

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