BERKELEY – California cranked out 14 hits including
Dylan Beavers' Pac-12-leading 10th home run of the season, but the Golden Bears came up short in a 13-9 loss to No. 6 Oregon State on Sunday afternoon at Stu Gordon Stadium.
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Cal rallied from an early four-run deficit and carried a 6-5 lead into the seventh inning, but ultimately saw an array of mistakes prove costly in the series-deciding loss to Oregon State (16-5, 6-3 Pac-12). An uncharacteristically poor defensive performance by Cal was underscored by three throwing errors, three balks and two wild pitches; five of OSU's first nine runs were scored as a direct result of the miscues.
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OSU has won 10 consecutive series against Cal (11-12, 4-5) dating back to 2011.
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The Golden Bears cut into a 5-1 deficit in the fifth when
Nathan Martorella doubled off the center field wall to score
Keshawn Ogans before Beavers drove a two-run home run to left-center in the following at bat. Beavers (1-for-5) homered in all three games and knocked in eight runs throughout the weekend. An inning later, Ogans delivered a two-run single through the right side of the infield to push Cal ahead, 6-5.
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The lead was short-lived as OSU scored four times in the following half frame and reclaimed the lead for good. OSU's first four batters in the inning reached base safely with a walk and three singles – the latter of which was a two-RBI knock from Travis Bazzana – and two more runs came home on a wild pitch and a balk.
Chris Stamos (1-1) took the loss after allowing the first three of OSU's four runs in the seventh inning.
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A solo home run by
Hance Smith and an RBI single from
Nathan Manning in the eighth brought Cal back within one run, 9-8, and kept the pressure on the visiting Beavers. By the time Cal grabbed its bats again in the ninth, however, OSU had already punched back with a grand slam from Tanner Smith in the top half that made it 13-8. The Bears managed one run in the ninth on an RBI single from
Caleb Lomavita.
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Ian May lasted four innings in his second career start, allowing four runs (two earned) on seven hits and a walk while striking out four Beavers. Cal used seven pitchers in the loss.
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All 10 Bears who earned a plate appearance tallied at least one hit. Ogans (2-for-3) drove in three runs and extended his hitting streak to 13 games while Smith (2-for-3) scored three times and recorded his team-leading eighth double along with his solo home run in the eighth.
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UP NEXT
Cal's five-game homestand concludes Tuesday against Saint Mary's. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. PDT from Stu Gordon Stadium.
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