A five-hit, four-RBI career performance from junior outfielder Micah McDowell helped the Oregon State Baseball team cruise to a 16-0 dominant victory over the Coppin State Eagles as the Beavers shutout the Eagles in game two to secure the series win on Saturday afternoon at Goss Stadium.   

“He’s simplified, his approach, but more than anything, his attitude is right where it needs to be, he’s angry in a great way, meaning he wants to go out and compete and win, and he’s making the most out of every at-bat,” head coach Mitch Canham said of McDowell’s performance. “How he’s practicing is very similar to how he’s playing like he’s on a mission and it’s good to see.” 

Early on it was a stalemate in the 1st inning as both pitchers for the Beavers and Eagles each left runners stranded on bases in scoring position. After the top of the second inning concluded McDowell broke open the stalemate hitting an RBI single to give the Beavers an early 1-0 lead. 

Sophomore infielder Travis Bazzana extended the lead on an RBI double making the score 3-0 headed into the third inning. Coppin State looked to respond to the early scoring by the Beavers, loading the bases in the third inning, but a 6-4-3 double play by the Beavers ended the scoring opportunity for the Eagles. 

The Beavers extended their lead on a sacrifice fly ball from sophomore catcher Wilson Weber making the score 4-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning. Freshman outfielder Gavin Turley launched a two-run home run deep into left field to further extend the Oregon State lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, making the score 6-0. 

Turley’s home run is his third homer run of the season and had a home run against the Eagles in game one of the series. 

“I knew I was going to get it with my previous two at-bats, I’ve seen his fastball and I’ve seen his curveball, he had nothing to get me out at that point,” Turley said about the home run against the Eagles. “I told Darwin (Barney), I got him right here and did it.” 

McDowell extended the lead for the Beavers once again with an RBI single making the score 7-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Beavers doubled their lead in the bottom of the seventh inning scoring seven runs in the inning as Coppin State issued three walks, two wild pitches, and hit a batter in the inning, which made the score 14-0 headed into the eighth inning. 

Freshman outfielder Cannon Reeder and McDowell each drove in a pair of runs to extend the Beavers lead 16-0 after the conclusion of the eighth inning and those were the final runs scored in the game. 

Throughout the course of the game, the Beavers amassed 14 hits and drew 17 walks in their offensive surge over the Eagles in game two. The Beavers have now amassed over 30 walks as a team in the past two games against the Eagles. 

“It’s just been something we’ve highlighted as a team especially from last year, just making sure that we’re getting our pitch to hit,” said Canham about the number of walks the team has drawn in a game. “Sometimes if you walk or get a guy in scoring position, you really want to drive him in, we continue to remind ourselves to go the other way and find your pitch.” 

On the mound for the Beavers, sophomore right-handed pitcher Jacob Kmatz picked up the win and pitched six innings while only giving up three hits. 

Freshman right-handed pitcher AJ Hutcheson relieved Kmatz in the seventh inning and pitched one inning. Freshman left-handed pitcher Nelson Keljo entered the game in the eighth inning for Hutcheson and picked up three strikeouts. 

Junior left-handed pitcher Justin Thorsteinson closed out the game on the mound for the Beavers and pitched one inning allowing one hit. 

“I felt great, I was mixing all my pitches. Last night Trent [Sellers] threw a lot of fastballs, so they were expecting us to attack the zone, so I was able to use my secondary stuff,” Kmatz said of his performance on the mound. “Going inning by inning and getting a zero for the team, I was trying to go as deep as I can in a game and try to help the bullpen out.” 

Canham praised Kmatz’s performance against Coppin State as a key part of the win against the Eagles in game two of their home opening series at Goss Stadium. 

“He’s very coachable and if you give him an objective, he’s going to aim to accomplish that quickly, he mixes up his pitches well and is efficient on the mound,” Canham said.

For the Eagles, sophomore right-handed pitcher Marcos Herrand picked up the loss and pitched 3.2 innings, giving up six hits and six runs. Left-handed pitcher Clay Thompson relieved Herrand in the fourth inning and pitched two innings.

Right-handed pitchers Giovanni Canales and Nico Felber each pitched 0.1 innings allowing three hits and five runs. Right-handed pitcher Rashad Ruff closed out on the mound for the Eagles and pitched 1.2 innings allowing four hits as well as four runs. 

The series finale against Coppin State is set for Sunday afternoon with a first pitch time scheduled for 1:05 p.m. Right-handed pitcher Jaren Hunter is expected to start on the mound for the Beavers.