CORVALLIS -- With Travis Eckert laboring early Sunday, Oregon State began warming up a reliever. The junior right-hander would again warrant an early exit, head coach Pat Casey thought.
But Eckert had spent recent practices working on his mentality as much as his four-pitch arsenal. After loading the bases with no outs in the second inning, he escaped without any damage. Eckert's confidence grew more and more as the game wore on.
His sixth quality start of the season -- 7 1/3 innings, two earned runs -- powered OSU to a much-needed 5-3 victory over Arizona in front of 3,048 at Goss Stadium.