After 12 innings and a four-hour baseball game, Talt delivered a bases-loaded dribbler to short for his second walk-off win of the season.

The win extended the Oregon State Beavers’ win streak to 11 games in a 4-3 victory over the Gonzaga University Bulldogs at Goss Stadium on Monday, April 21. 

“I just stayed back, put it in play, and let my wheels do the rest,” Talt said about his game-winning hit. 

Talt waited on a change-up from Gonzaga’s Kai Francis after just missing a slider in the bottom of the 11th that nearly ended the game but dropped at the warning track. 

In the bottom of the 12th inning, with bases loaded, another opportunity to end the game with one swing arose.

A single from Wilson Weber started the show, following walks from Trent Caraway and Dallas Macias.

“I told Dallas (Macias) if he got on, we were gonna win the game,” Talt said. “That was a great at-bat that he had, and it’s going to be overlooked.” 

Despite their walk-off win, the Beavers could have changed the game early on, as they left a runner in scoring position since the sixth inning and 13 total left on base.

The winning run was only 90 feet away in the bottom of the eighth. A wild pitch from Gonzaga’s Erik Hoffberg caused Canon Reeder to hesitate home and was caught stealing, leaving two runners stranded. 

Both the Bulldogs’ and the Beavers’ bats were silenced. The pitching staff combined for 31 strikeouts. 

“Our pitching staff is amazing, and we trust them to keep the ball game close,” Talt said. “That’s why we ended up winning that game 4-3.” 

The Beaver bullpen did not let up a run after the fifth inning. 

Sophomore Laif Palmer came in to relieve the fifth inning with bases loaded and one out, facing the Bulldog’s best hitter, Hudson Shupe.

Shupe hit a chopper to first baseman Krieg, leaving three runners stranded on a 3-2-3 inning-ending double play. 

Palmer continued to pitch the sixth inning and remains the only Beaver pitcher with a 0.00 ERA this season.

After a little rest, the righties Joey Mundt, Kellen Oakes, and AJ Hutchenson got to work, recording eight strikeouts in the later half of the game. 

“It’s nice to see Mundt go out and throw two innings the other day and to come out again and get a couple ups as well,” Canham said. “(AJ) Hutch is doing that too, and a lot of those are getting those opportunities.”

Hutcheson, Mundt, and Oakes all pitched on April 18 in the Beavers 16-11 win against California State University, Northridge. 

“I didn’t really want to throw (AJ) Hutch today,” Canham said. “I wanted to give him one more day, but you weren’t gonna tell him no when he wanted the baseball and was ready to do it. He showed that when he came out.” 

Hutcheson is credited with the win after two late innings of dominance. He issued only one walk, no hits, and two strikeouts. 

However, the ball game would look a little different if it weren’t for Oakes 2.1 innings of heavy work.

Oakes came in the eighth inning with a runner in scoring position and struck out Tommy Eisenstat, who hit a home run in the second inning to end the inning. 

Then on eight pitches, Oakes retired the side in the top of the ninth to keep the Beavers alive.

The outcome of the game drastically differs from the high-scoring battles from the previous weekend’s matchup against CSUN, in which 44 runs were scored and 31 runs were given up.

“The win or loss doesn’t dictate the conversation at the end,” head coach Mitch Canham said. “It’s the way they prepare and the way they compete. It’s the energy, enthusiasm, and grit they show throughout the game that really matters.” 

The Beavers continue their short series against the Bulldogs on Tuesday at 2:05 p.m. at Goss Stadium.