# #

College World Series: Oregon State routs Mississippi State to set up decisive Saturday matchup

by Jonathan Hawthorne
Jun 22, 2018

There was definitely no come-from-behind effort needed this time.

With an offensive outburst in their third straight elimination game at the College World Series, the Beavers handily defeated Mississippi State 12-2 on Friday in Omaha. Trevor Larnach, Adley Rutschman and Nick Madrigal teamed up to account for seven RBIs as Oregon State poured in 15 hits against the Bulldogs, who suffered their first loss of their Omaha stay so far. Mississippi State had outscored its opponents 13-2 before Friday's matchup.

To reach the College World Series championship series, Oregon State will have to defeat Mississippi State again Saturday. Game time is TBD.

[Related: 2018 NCAA Baseball College World Series bracket (NCAA.com)]

Oregon State

Oregon State 12, Mississippi State 2

Trevor Larnach answered Mississippi State's first-inning run with an RBI of his own, a single that scored Nick Madrigal and moved Cadyn Grenier to third. But the Bulldogs escaped the inning with a 1-2-5-4 double play — catching Grenier in a rundown and throwing out Larnach at second base.

Oregon State's big inning of the afternoon came in the second when the Beavers poured in five runs. Michael Gretler and Madrigal each had RBIs to make it 3-1 before Mississippi State's starter, Jacob Billingsley, walked Larnach with the bases loaded. Then, Adley Rutschman throttled an opposite-field single with the bases loaded, scoring Madrigal and Grenier.

The Bulldogs chased Bryce Fehmel from the ballgame in the fourth. Fehmel went 3 2/3 innings and allowed Mississippi State's second run of the game in the third, a run-scoring single. Fehmel allowed four hits while striking out one. He threw 56 pitches. Brandon Eisert was exceptionally strong for Oregon State, spinning 5 1/3 innings of relief. He allowed just two hits during his appearance while striking out three batters.

On Kyle Nobach's second hit of the day, Oregon State added another run in the fourth when he brought in Larnach, making it 7-2.

From there, Oregon State's offense continued to hum along. With another burst in the seventh, the Beavers blew the game open with four runs. Zak Taylor had a two-RBI double, while Larnach and head coach Pat Casey's son, Joe, each had run-scoring singles. 

Madrigal and Larnach each had three hits for the Beavers.

Related News & Videos