Beavers Beaten In Baseball Series Opener
May 12, 2000 | Baseball
May 12, 2000
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Oregon State failed to capitalize on some early opportunities, and Southern California pitcher Rik Currier took it from there as the Beavers fell 12-1 to No. 19 USC Friday night in the opening game of their Pacific-10 baseball series at Dedeaux Field.
The Beavers (27-23 overall, 8-11 Pacific-10) continue their series against the Trojans (33-18, 11-8) Saturday at 1 p.m. and wrap it up Sunday at 1 p.m. Both games can be heard on KLOO-AM (1340).
In the series-opener, the first three innings saw OSU pile up six hits against Currier, but the Beavers left six runners on base in those innings. Currier, a junior righthander, settled into a groove and retired 11 straight hitters as USC built an 8-1 lead.
"We just didn't play very well," OSU head coach Pat Casey said. "Their guy threw well, but we didn't make some adjustments at the plate. Now we have to put this one behind us, get ready for Saturday and come out and compete and do a better job."
Currier won for the sixth time in his last seven starts, striking out 12 in 6 1/3 innings. Meanwhile, USC handed Beaver righthander Thad Johnson the defeat, Johnson also went 6 1/3 innings but allowed 10 runs (all earned) on 12 hits and two walks, striking out five.
The Beavers tied the game at 1-1 when Eric Stark singled home Will Hudson in the top of the second inning, and the score was still even going into the bottom of the fourth. That's when USC put together a four-run inning on five hits - four of them groundballs - to go up 5-1 on Bill Peavey's two-out, two-run single up the middle.
Justin Gemoll, who had homered with the bases empty in the first inning, stretched USC's lead to 8-1 with a three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth. OSU threatened to get back in the game in the bottom of the seventh, though.
Zach Gordon started the inning with a single and Stark doubled to put runners at second and third. After Drew Hedges struck out, pinch-hitter Chris Biles walked to load the bases and the Trojans brought in lefthander Ronald Flores to face Joe Gerber.
OSU then pinch-hit Curtis Davis, a righthanded batter, in place of Gerber. Davis hit a fly to medium centerfield that would have been deep enough to score Gordon from third, however, Stark tried to advance to third on the play and was tagged out before Gordon could cross the plate, eliminating the run and ending the inning with the Beavers still down by seven runs.
Oregon State did get an outstanding relief performance from freshman righthander Chris Wilkins. Wilkins pitched a perfect 1 2/3 innings, striking out four of the five hitters he faced.
NO. 19 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 12, OREGON STATE 1
Oregon State 010 000 000 - 1 10 0 Southern California 100 430 40x - 12 15 1Johnson, Hansen (7), Wilkins (7) and Ingram, Biles (7). Currier, Flores (7), Petke (8), Montrenes (9) and Craig. WP-Currier (11-3). LP-Johnson (5-5). 2B-Stark (OSU), Davidson (USC), Lunetta (USC), Persell (USC). HR-Gemoll 2 (USC).
HITS: Oregon State 10 (Biles 1x1, Gerber 1x3, Barden 2x4, Jarvis 1x4, Carter 1x4, Hudson 1x3, Gordon 1x4, Stark 2x3), Southern California 15 (Davidson 1x5, Garibaldi 2x3, Gemoll 3x5, Craig 3x4, Lunetta 2x3, Persell 2x4, Barre 1x4, Peavey 1x4). RUNS BATTED IN: Oregon State 1 (Stark 1), Southern California 11 (Gemoll 4, Lunetta 2, Persell 2, Barre 1, Peavey 2).
