5th ranked Oregon State had to scratch and claw to escape with a 7-6 win over Ball State in the season opener today in Surprise, AZ. The Beavers used a pair of 3 run innings to get ahead, but then had to hold off a Cardinal rally and a late threat to notch the win.
Oregon State's pitching was uneven, but the real problem was the familiar one for the last several seasons; not getting timely hits when the opportunity to break a game open presented itself. The Beavers did hammer out 13 hits, but stranded 10 runners, 4 in scoring position, and at least one in each of the first 6 at bats.