The Oregon State baseball team is off to a solid start to the season, currently participating in the season-opening Surprise Tournament and sitting at three wins and one loss so far. Most recently, the Beavers defeated Utah in a 10-2 rout, delivering their first blowout victory of the season.

Logan Ice, senior pitcher, was the star of the game, hitting a homerun and a triple in an eight-run fifth inning to help the Beavers run up the score against Pac-12 foe Utah. Luke Heimlich, sophomore pitcher, made his first start for the Beavers, showing well with seven strikeouts, and only four hits and two runs allowed.

OSU started their season on Feb. 19 with a narrow 7-6 victory over Ball State in Surprise, Arizona. The win was the Beavers’ seventh straight on opening day, and it also marked the return of left-handed pitcher Max Engelbrekt. Engelbrekt would make an immediate impact in his return, playing a key role in securing the game during the ninth inning for the Beavers. With one player on base, Engelbrekt delivered a game-winning strike out to clinch the save. Engelbrekt, who missed all of the 2015 season due to a knee injury, added immediate depth to the Beaver bullpen with his return.

“I hadn’t played in a game in over 21 months. Didn’t know if I’d ever play again. Today was pretty cool,” Engelbrekt tweeted from his personal twitter account, @maxengelbrekt.

Freshman Nick Madrigal also gave the Beavers a pleasant boost during the game, finishing 4-4 in his collegiate debut. He was one of seven OSU players to record at least one hit.

OSU followed up the opening by splitting the next two games, with a 12-9 loss to Utah Valley on Feb. 20 and another tight 8-7 win over Minnesota on Feb. 21.

Against Utah Valley, OSU unsuccessfully tried to scurry back from a nine-run deficit. In the fifth inning, OSU found itself in an 11-2 hole. The sixth inning saw the Beavers pull off a furious six-run inning, pulling itself within three runs of the Wolverines. Any comeback efforts came just short however, as each team would only score one more run apiece.

The Beavers were able to bounce back from the loss quickly, beating Minnesota with solid play from Madrigal and Engelbrekt. Madrigal hit a late-game RBI in the eighth inning to give OSU an 8-7 lead, and Engelbrekt delivered his second save of the season in the ninth.

OSU will return to action on Thursday, Feb. 28 against Kansas State to continue their run through the Surprise Tournament.