Courtesy: OSU Sports Information
EUGENE, Ore.– Michael Conforto hit a second inning grand slam and the sixth-ranked Oregon State baseball team finished with 17 hits in a 12-2 win over No. 10 Oregon Sunday at PK Park. The game marked the series finale of the Civil War.
Oregon State’s victory gave the Beavers a 2-1 series victory over Oregon and the team now holds a two-game lead with three games to play in the race for the Pac-12 Conference championship. The club’s last Pac-12 series begins Friday against Washington State.
Conforto’s grand slam in the second inning started an offensive onslaught for the Beavers, who led 1-0 after the Oregon State (43-9 overall, 22-5 Pac-12) sophomore singled in the first. He proceeded to hit the first pitch he saw from Oregon (43-13, 20-7) starter Jake Reed over the right field fence to push the lead to 6-0. Tyler Smith had driven in the inning’s first run on a bases loaded walk.
The home run was the ninth of the season for Conforto, who has two grand slams on the year. It was also his second home run of the series after his game-winning solo shot on Saturday.
Conforto capped off his afternoon with a run-scoring double in the ninth, giving him six RBI on the day.
Smith singled to left in the third for a 7-0 Beavers lead. Oregon State broke the game open with a four-run eighth that saw Dylan Davis, Kavin Keyes, Ryan Barnes and Jake Rodriguez drive in runs.
Ben Wetzler was solid in 6 1/3 innings of work to earned his seventh consecutive win and improve to 7-1 this season. The lefty scattered six hits and two runs – one earned – while walking one and striking out six.
Wetzler earned his seventh quality start in nine Pac-12 games this season, and extended the pitching staff’s streak to 21 games against league foes.
Reed worked 2 2/3 innings for Oregon, allowing eight hits and seven runs – only one of which was earned – while striking out two. The right-hander dropped to 6-4 on the year.
Conforto, Davis and Keyes all had three hits to pace the Beavers, while Smith, Hayes and Barnes pitched in with two as well.
Oregon State and Oregon compete again Tuesday in a 5:35 p.m. PT game at Goss Stadium in Corvallis. The game is considered a non-conference tilt and will not count toward the Pac-12 standings.