An ugly start turned into a dominant win as the No. 7 Oregon State baseball team cruised to a 7-4 victory against Air Force Thursday night in Corvallis’ Goss Stadium.
The turnaround? Maybe as simple as spitting out some unlucky chewing gum.
After the Beavers allowed two runs in the top of the first inning – one on an RBI double and another on a passed ball – OSU Assistant Coach Rich Dorman visited starting pitcher Ethan Kleinschmit on the mound.
“Obviously, the first three batters didn’t go as planned, but it’s just how you respond,” said Kleinschmit, who allowed one walk and two hits in the first three at-bats. “(Dorman) made me spit out my gum, so I guess that was the switch that needed to be flipped.”
What followed was an efficient pitching outing for the Beavers, with the team only allowing three more hits on the night. Kleinschmit finished with six strikeouts – including the 200th of his career – in five innings played while junior right-hander Wyatt Queen earned seven in the final four innings.
“Breaking ball looked sharp, even threw in a couple changeups there, too,” Beavers Head Coach Mitch Canham said of Queen. “I liked that. Put us in a good spot with our bullpen.”
Despite falling in a two-run hole early, it didn’t take Oregon State long to even the score. In the bottom of the first inning, outfielder Paul Vazquez hit a two-RBI home run that rocketed 380 feet, out of left field, per DAM Analytics.
Vazquez has made a number of defensive highlight plays in May, but on Thursday he provided the Beavers’ first offensive spark.
“Defensively, (it’s) extremely impressive to be a third baseman and only have three errors on the year,” Canham said of Vazquez. “Now, you’re seeing big strides on the offensive game too.”
Oregon State jumped into the lead with a four-run effort in the third inning, thanks to a pair of two-RBI doubles from Ethan Porter and Josh Proctor, respectively.
Then, the Beavers gained another insurance run in the fifth inning after AJ Singer was walked with the bases loaded, upping OSU’s lead to 7-2. It was the third walk of the inning, with the Beavers amassing 10 total against Air Force.
“I love that guys weren’t pressing the chase and trying to go for hits,” Canham said. “I looked up at the board at one point – I was like, ‘Dang, six hits right now? What’s going on?’ But (that’s) not to take away from 10 walks. Like, getting on base is what’s important.”
Pitching in relief of Kleinschmit, Queen didn’t allow a hit until he needed just one out in the top of the ninth to end the game. Air Force junior Christian Taylor hit a two-run home run to bring the Falcons within three, but after a mound visit, Queen stayed in the lineup to force a win-sealing flyout to left field.
“I think we’re on the uphill climb right now,” Kleinschmit said of the team. “The offense is starting to score more runs. I feel like the pitching staff is just continuing to dominate.”
Now at 42-11 on the season with an eight-game winning streak, the Beavers have just two more games in their series with Air Force before they transition to postseason play. Game 2 versus the Falcons will start at Goss Stadium Friday at 5:35 p.m.
“I love where their heads (are) at game to game … it’s just been, ‘Let’s take care of today,’” Canham said of staying focused ahead of the playoffs. “Now we focus on Game 2, so just trying to keep it one step at a time.”
Oregon State hopes to host a regional to open the NCAA Baseball Tournament later in the spring. But if not, there’s a chance Thursday marked the last Beaver home game for Kleinschmit, the No. 64 prospect in the upcoming draft per MLB.com.
“You’re going to get me feeling emotions and stuff,” Canham said of Kleinschmit’s time as a Beaver. “But whether it is or not, he is a tremendous human being, and it is always exciting watching him go out and compete.”
Kleinschmit said he hadn’t thought about the possibility. “Hopefully we take care of business and are able to host a regional,” he said. “But if not, I guess, it was a solid one to go out on.”