Stanford outslugs Oregon State to win inaugural 2022 Pac-12 Baseball Tournament Championship
SCOTTSDALE — No. 1-seeded Stanford won the inaugural 2022 Pac-12 Baseball Tournament on Sunday, outslugging No. 2-seeded Oregon State 9-5 at Scottsdale Stadium on Sunday.
It capped an unbeaten run through the event for the Cardinal, which also claimed the Pac-12 regular-season championship and has won 16 straight games dating back to May 3.
The Beavers still have plenty to look forward to, announcing Sunday that they will be one of 16 hosts for NCAA Regionals next weekend. So will the Cardinal. The full NCAA Tournament bracket will be unveiled Monday at 9 a.m. PT.
Stanford's offense was the story of the Pac-12 Baseball Tournament, plating 35 runs in four games.
The Cardinal struck early and often in the title game, grabbing a 3-0 lead in the first when Brett Barrera laced an RBI single through the right side and the next batter, Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Braden Montgomery, launched a 468-foot three-run homer.
B1 | 🌲 3, 🦫 0@Braden2baseball got ALL OF THIS ONE!
The freshman's 16th homer of the year is a 468-foot 💣
📺 » ESPN2
💻 » https://t.co/8URS5n7EJY#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/IXaxy357Zw— Stanford Baseball (@StanfordBSB) May 30, 2022
The Beavers trimmed the deficit to one in the fourth, plating a run via wild pitch and RBI groundout, but the Cardinal immediately answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame, courtesy of a two-run single from Carter Graham.
B4 | 🌲 5, 🦫 2
Answered right back!@cartergraham50 with a two-RBI single to reclaim the three-run lead!
📺 » ESPN2
💻 » https://t.co/8URS5n7EJY#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/onAVzsnenq— Stanford Baseball (@StanfordBSB) May 30, 2022
Pac-12 Player of the Year Jacob Melton made his presence felt in the middle innings, driving in two runs in the fifth and another in the seventh, legging out an infield single, that pulled Oregon State even.
WE'RE TIED!
📺 ESPN2
📱 https://t.co/tR3ssRD0Oz#Pac12BSB pic.twitter.com/VE5WF8xUXS— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) May 30, 2022
But, as was the case all week, nobody could contain the Cardinal. Drew Bowser quickly gave Stanford the lead back, leading off the seventh with an opposite-field homer to right, his fourth long ball of the tournament.
B7 | 🌲 6, 🦫 5@dreezydoesit2 DID IT AGAIN!
His fourth of the tournament puts the Cardinal 🔙🔛🔝.
📺 » ESPN2
💻 » https://t.co/8URS5n7EJY#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/w5dQsAGZ18— Stanford Baseball (@StanfordBSB) May 30, 2022
Adam Crampton doubled home a run later in the frame and Kody Huff delivered the final blow in the eighth, belting a two-run homer to make it a four-run Stanford lead.
KODY HUFF 💪 @StanfordBSB puts on a couple insurance runs. 🌲
📺 ESPN2
📱 https://t.co/tR3ssRVa2H#Pac12BSB pic.twitter.com/UiRxY90OzR— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) May 30, 2022
Though the Beavers fell short, Garret Forrester was named the tournament's MVP.
The rest of the 2022 Pac-12 Baseball All-Tournament Team went as follows:
- Catcher: Gavin Logan, Oregon State*
- First Baseman: Garret Forrester, Oregon State*
- Second Baseman: Garen Caulfield, Arizona
- Third Baseman: Drew Bowser, Stanford*
- Shortstop: (Tie) Ethan Gourson, UCLA; Adam Crampton, Stanford
- Designated Hitter: Daniel Susac, Arizona
- (Three) Outfielders: Justin Boyd, Oregon State*; Jacob Melton, Oregon State*; Michael Curialle, UCLA
- (Two) Pitchers: Josh White, California; Kyle Luckham, Arizona State