Oregon State baseball falls to Florida State, setting up do-or-die Game 3 in Corvallis Super Regional: ‘We’re ready to play’

CORVALLIS — As

Mitch Canham

gathered the

Oregon State baseball team

for a postgame chat near the first base dugout at Goss Stadioum, the chatty coach gazed around at his players, pondered what he wanted to say and decided to keep things short and sweet.

“Do we need to sit around and meet about this one?” he said. “No. Rest up. Clear your heads. And let’s get ready for tomorrow.”

It was no time for a long speech.

After all, the Beavers have been here before.

The

Florida State Seminoles

spoiled Oregon State’s first chance to advance to the

College World Series

, stealing a

3-1 win Saturday night

in another entertaining and highly-competitive matchup at the

Corvallis Super Regional

.

The Seminoles’ victory evened the best-of-three series at 1-1 and set up a do-or-die Game 3 on Sunday night at 6 p.m.

And for a team that persevered through college baseball’s only independent schedule during the regular season,

suffered an opening-round defeat

in the regional round and needed a

furious late-game rally

to win the opener in extra innings against the Seminoles, well, the Beavers wouldn’t want it any other way.

“You know how we like to do it,” Canham said. “The fun way. The non-easy easy, I guess. That’s why (I) didn’t even have to say anything after the game. The guys wanted to get out there and play again right (away). No doubt we’re facing good pitching. Our offense is highly capable and I anticipate us being ready to get out there and fight tomorrow.”

And if Game 3 is anything like the first two outings of this intense and fun-to-watch series, college baseball fans are in for a treat. After putting on a show in Friday’s opener, during which they unleashed highlight-reel relay throws to get outs at home plate, delivered brilliant pitching, produced multiple memorable late-game hits and eventually treated everyone to a 10th-inning walk-off, the Beavers and Seminoles were at it again in Game 2.

A pair of left-handed starters delivered dominant starts, going toe-to-toe for the better part of seven innings. Wilson Weber continued his torrid and clutch hitting. Relief pitchers touch 100 mph on the radar gun. And there was another barrage of late-game theatrics.

After opening up a 1-0 lead on a Weber run-scoring single in the first inning, it looked the eighth-seeded Beavers would parlay the mojo they manufactured during extra innings on Saturday into a super regional sweep. But it was not meant to be.

Jamie Arnold, the Seminoles’ electric ace left-hander regrouped after a rough first inning, reinforcing the widely-held notion he’s a potential top five pick in next month’s MLB draft. The 6-foot-1 junior surrendered six hits — but four of them came in the first two frames — and he went on to allow just one run and record nine strikeouts, overpowering the Beavers with a mid-90s fastball, wicked slider and changeup that seemed to grow stronger as the game went on. The thing that chased him was a high pitch count — FSU pitching coach Micah Posey pulled Arnold with two outs in the seventh after his 113th pitch — but the Seminoles’ bullpen took over from there.

When Arnold departed, OSU first baseman Jacob Krieg, who ripped a one-out single, stood on first base. But crafty reliever Maison Martinez flummoxed Aiva Arquette with three consecutive off speed offerings, fanning the Beavers’ elite shortstop on three pitches to get out of the inning.

The good news for Oregon State? Sophomore left-hander Ethan Kleinschmit was cruising through Florida State’s lethal lineup like a hot knife piercing butter, and he carried a two-hit, one-run, 11-strikeout gem into the seventh. The bad news? He, too, was approaching his pitch limit. When Kleinschmit walked Drew Faurot on five pitches, he hit No. 110 and OSU pitching Coach Rich Dorman turned to the bullpen, bringing sophomore right-hander Laif Palmer and his high-90s heat into the game.

But the Seminoles feasted on Palmer. Jaxon West singled to center to put runners on first and second and, two batters later, Gage Harrelson slapped a single to left to deliver the go-ahead run. The Seminoles added an insurance run in the eighth when Max Williams and Cal Fisher laced singles and OSU right-hander Wyatt Queen issued back-to-back walks, the last coming during a six-pitch at-bat against West. And Florida State took a 3-1 lead in the back-and-forth tussle.

The Beavers put runners on base in each of the last two frames, as Gavin Turley and AJ Singer each worked leadoff walks. But Florida State wiggled out the trouble both times, riding Peyton Preston’s electric fastball — one of his pitches touched 100 mph. Trent Caraway grounded into a 4-6-3 double play in the eighth and Preston struck out the side in the ninth, fanning Bryce Hubbard, Dallas Macias and Jacob Krieg on 13 pitches.

In the end, Kleinschmit (8-4) suffered as unjust a loss as you will see. In the end, Florida State produced just enough timely key hits. In the end, less than 24 hours after watching the Beavers (46-14-1) celebrate a dramatic walk-off win, the Seminoles (42-15) forced a win-or-go-home Game 3.

“It’s hard to explain the feeling walking out of here last night and the toughness that these guys showed to come back into this place,” Florida State coach Link Jarrett said. “For these guys to respond and own the day and own the moment and own the pitches and take ownership — we had to take ownership last night after a difficult thing — and they showed their toughness today.”

But this is not the Beavers’ first flirtation with adversity and defeat. They survived a relentless regular season that few, if any, teams have faced. They rebounded from that opening-round stunner to Saint Mary’s with a memorable four-game comeback in the regional. They unleashed an all-time rally Friday night.

So as they left Goss Stadium along with 4,408 dejected fans, the Beavers carried a sense of calmness rather than dread.

“We’re not phased,” said Weber, who went 2 for 4 with an RBI Saturday. “We’re excited to play one more home game. That’s the way I see it. I’m sure that’s how everybody sees it. And just like in the regional, our backs are against the wall and we’re ready to play.”

In the end, Canham didn’t need to deliver a big speech. His players already know what lies ahead.

“It’s about winning the war, right?” Canham said. “We may have lost the battle today, (but) we got them the first night and so it all comes down to tomorrow.

“Every moment this year has accumulated to this game tomorrow and what’s beyond. Every time there’s hardship, you have to look at it as a blessing. The reality is you get to play another game at home tomorrow. We get to watch the Beavs go out and compete once again. And they’re going to play with passion, they’re going to put their heart out there. And again, with everything that has gone on, I walk away from the field today and, yeah, it’s a bummer. We didn’t get the job done today. But at the same time, the Lord’s blessed us with another day to get up and play baseball and to be around one another, so that calms me quite a bit.”

—

Joe Freeman

|

jfreeman@oregonian.com

| 503-294-5183 |

@BlazerFreeman

|

@freemanjoe.bsky.social

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