Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect the correct mascot name in the headline, Cardinal.

Dominating Oregon State pitching leaves Stanford scoreless, Beavers started the series strong at Goss Stadium. Beavers win 6-0. 

The Arizona transfer junior Aiden May, started the game off strong retiring the first three batters in six pitches. 

The fans were more than pleased with Oregon State’s pitching. The team combined nine strikeouts, five hits, and no runs scored.

This shutout marked their third of the season, looking to silence the doubts about the team’s pitching ability.  

After giving up back-to-back walks in the top of the seventh, May is replaced by senior right-handed pitcher Joey Mundt; clear frustration from May when pitching coach Rich Dorman, made his way to the mound.

Coming into a scoreless performance by May, Mundt hits the first batter he faces, loading the bases. 

The righty fought back, striking out Stanford’s Luke Lavin, and causing Charlie Saum to ground into a 6-4 double play to escape the jam.

“I didn’t have any walks all night, and obviously in that inning, I had two,” May said. “So that’s a little bit unfortunate, but I have all the faith in the world in my pen and all the guys behind him.” 

May pounded the zone, slinging 50 strikes out of 80 pitches through six innings. His nasty slider was the cause of two out of his five Cardinal strikeouts. 

“After you come out, you sit down for a second and realize our pen is electric,” May said. “To have Joey come out and do exactly what you know he’s going to do every time is sweet.” 

May credits his performance to the electricity at Goss Stadium. “I can’t stress (it) enough how electric the fans were,” May said. 

Despite the three runs given up in the first and second, sophomore Cardinal, Matt Scott, strikes out nine batters through six innings.

Three of these strikeouts were called strike three breaking balls at the knees. 

Scott earned PAC-12 pitcher of the week on March 11th after an impressive performance against the University of Washington where he only gave up one run and struck out nine.

He leads the team with strikeouts, totaling 74 in eight games this season. 

In the bottom of the sixth, facing the heart of Oregon State’s lineup, Scott strikes out the side, holding the score to 3-0 Beavers. 

Apart from pitching, senior Brady Kasper returned to the lineup for the first time since February 22 after a near collision with junior Travis Bazzana led to a sprained knee. 

Kasper sends a line drive to right-center on the second pitch he saw, bringing home Bazzana. Beavers lead 1-0 after the first inning. 

“(During) that first at-bat I felt a good amount of pressure,” Kasper said. “But I was sitting dead red and got the pitch I wanted.” 

One on and no outs in the second, sophomore Dallas Macias wastes no time and smacks a 420-foot home run over the right field wall; this marks his third home run of the season. 

Macias is nearly robbed of his second hit of the day after a sharply hit ball down the right field line hits 1st base umpire Kelly Gonzales. The call was originally called foul, and Macias ended up at second after review.

“(Macias) is learning really quick,” head coach Mitch Canham said. “Last year there was a lot of chase on changeups… he’s been able to lay off a lot of those too. Now he’s able to hunt for those heaters.”

In the seventh inning, the Beavers look to put the nail in the coffin. Tallying three more runs beginning with a pinch-hit triple from Wilson Webber. Final score 6-0 Beavers.

This win snapped a five-game losing streak to Stanford, making a statement at the start of the series. 

Up next, The Beavers will play the remaining games of the series against the Cardinal at Goss Stadium on April 13th at 5 p.m. and April 14th at noon.