The Beaver Baseball team bashed a season high six home runs putting together a dominant offensive showing in game two as they earned a 23-5 victory over the Western Carolina Catamounts to secure the series win on Friday evening at Goss Stadium. 

Oregon State head coach Mitch Canham credited the win to the team’s energy and performance in game two after a dominant 20-7 victory in game one against the Catamounts. Through two games against Western Carolina the Beavers have put up 43 runs against the Catamounts. 

Early in the top of the first inning, the Catamounts broke open the scoring taking an early 2-0 lead on a bases loaded walk and a sacrifice fly from right fielder James Hinson.  

Oregon State responded to the Catamounts early scoring in the bottom of the second inning with a two-run home run to right field from junior right fielder Brady Kasper to tie the game 2-2. Freshman left fielder Gavin Turley gave the Beavers the lead on a sacrifice fly to make the score 3-2 headed into the third inning.  

The Catamounts answered right back in the top of the third inning and retook the lead back from the Beavers. Junior left fielder Nate Stocum and junior designated hitter Landon Morrison each hit solo home runs to make the score 4-3 headed into the bottom of the third inning. 

The Beavers took the lead right back from the Catamounts as sophomore third baseman Mikey Kane hit a two-run home run to left field to make the score 5-4 headed into the top of the fourth inning. 

Western Carolina University junior shortstop Pascanel Ferreras hit a leadoff home run, on the first pitch he saw, to tie the game 5-5 in the top of the fifth inning. 

The Beavers loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth inning and Oregon State retook the lead on a bases loaded walk to make the score 6-5. Junior shortstop Kyle Dernedde hit a grand slam to further extend the Beavers lead to make the score 10-5.  

The Tualatin, Oregon native’s grand slam was the first of his career at Oregon State and is also the Beaver Baseball’s seventh grand slam of the season. The Beavers broke open the game offensively after Dernedde’s grand slam this was after both teams wrestled back and forth with the lead through four innings.  

“[Kyle] Dernedde for example I think he was hitless yesterday, it was great to see him flush that out and not let that carry that into today,” Canham said of Dernedde’s performance in game two. “He squared up a handful of balls even early in the game when it was tight, pushing bunt to score a run, He’s doing the little things right in the game.” 

Junior first baseman Garret Forrester hit an RBI single to extend the Beavers lead 11-5 headed into the sixth inning. Turley hit a two-run home run to make the score 13-5 in the bottom of the sixth inning to extend the lead again for the Beavers.  

The trio of sophomore second baseman Travis Bazzana, Forrester, and third baseman Mason Guerra each drove in a run to further extend the Beavers lead 16-5. Bazzana hit a sacrifice bunt while both Guerra and Forrester each hit an RBI single in the inning. 

Turley hit his second home run of the day as he hit a three-run home run to make the score 19-5 in the bottom of the eighth inning. Turley’s second home run is his 10th home run this season and he has also hit four home runs as well as 12 RBIs in the series against the Catamounts.  

Turley credits his success hitting the ball in recent games to how he approached his at bats during the game after having some early hitting struggles against PAC-12 Conference opponents. 

“It’s just a matter of not thinking and not having other thoughts in my head, hey see this or do this, simply just see the ball and hit the ball, doing what works for me,” Turley said. “When I get to the batter’s box, the goal is to think about as little as possible.”  

Canham praised Turley’s ability to stay positive and keep pushing through his hitting struggles, mentioning that sometimes players can let it become an issue when it arises and they keep struggling. 

“I don’t think he allowed that to become a thing, he kept working and talking to guys,” Canham said. “When we were down at UCLA, there were some good swings coming back in, he wasn’t letting one at bat or swing carry to the next one and was making quick adjustments in his at bats.” 

Bazzana hit an RBI double to further extend the Beaver lead making the score 20-5. Freshman infielder Jacob Krieg added on to the score with a three-run home run of his own to make the score 23-5. Krieg’s home run in the eighth inning is the first home run of his career at Oregon State.

“It was fun to see Krieg get in one,” said Canham on Krieg’s three-run home run. “A big strong guy, he hit that ball a long way. I always give him a hard time about how many home runs he hit in high school, and he told me he hit one.” 

For the Beavers, sophomore right-handed pitcher Jacob Kmatz picked up the win and his record improves to (5-4). Kmatz pitched 5.0 innings and gave up six hits, five runs, and four walks. Junior right-handed pitcher AJ Lattery relieved Kmatz in the sixth inning and pitched 3.0 innings and only gave up a hit. Sophomore right-handed pitcher David Grewe relieved Lattery in the ninth inning, Grewe pitched 1.0 inning and picked up a strikeout. 

For the Catamounts, junior left-handed pitcher Kyle Riesselmann picked up the loss and his record now falls to (0-3). Reissleman pitched 3.0 innings and gave up five hits as well as five runs. 

The Catamounts also used a slew of pitchers in the game, and they included sophomore right-handed pitcher Cole Ingle relieved Riesselmann in the fourth inning and pitched 1.0 inning, Ingle gave up one hit and a run. Freshman left-handed pitcher Ryan White relieved Ingle in the fifth inning and pitched 1.0 inning. Senior right-handed pitcher Nick Torres relieved white in the sixth inning and pitched 0.1 innings, Torres gave up five hits and five runs. Sophomore left-handed pitcher Dylan Wheeler relieved Torres in the sixth inning and pitched 1.2 innings. Junior right-handed pitcher Cole Beverlin relieved Wheeler in the eighth inning and pitched 1.0 inning, Beverlin gave up four hits and seven runs. 

Game three against the Catamounts is scheduled for Saturday with a 1:05 p.m. first pitch time at Goss Stadium. Senior right-handed pitcher Trent Sellers is expected to start on the mound for the Beavers.