Washington State Rips No. 23 Oregon State, 10-3

Mike Stutes took the loss and dropped to 2-6 this season after giving up 10 hits and nine runs while walking four and striking out three.

Salem-News.com SPORTS

PULLMAN, Wash. - Daniel Robertson went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and Lonnie Lechelt was 2-for-4 but the 23rd-ranked Oregon State baseball team dropped the series opener to Washington State, 10-3, Saturday night at Bailey-Brayton Field.

For Robertson, it was his 12th multiple-hit game of the season. He doubled in the third and scored and singled in the fifth. His first run of the game came in the first after getting hit by a pitch as the second batter of the game.

Lechelt, meanwhile, posted his seventh multiple-hit game of the year. He singled in the third and doubled in the sixth.

The Beavers (20-17 overall, 8-8 Pacific-10 Conference) opened the game with a run in the first as Ryan Ortiz grounded to second with runners on second and third, allowing Robertson to come home. The Cougars, however, matched the Beavers’ output and added two more for a 3-1 lead after one full inning.

Oregon State tied the game in the third. Robertson doubled to center with one out, then watched as Jason Ogata walked for the 17th time this season. Both runners moved up when Ortiz grounded to second. Robertson scored on a wild pitch from WSU starter Matt Way. Lechelt then tied the game with a single up the middle, driving in Ogata.

The score didn’t stay tied for long, however, as the Cougars (23-19, 4-9) matched OSU with three runs in the bottom half of the third. Michael Weber drove in the first run of the inning on a single, Greg Lagried the second when reaching on a throwing error and Shea Vucinich drove in the third on a sacrifice safety squeeze.

Washington State made it 8-3 in the fourth courtesy of the long ball. Paul Gran reached first on a one-out walk, and scored two batters later on Jared Prince’s fifth home run of the season.

Oregon State starter Mike Stutes last through the seventh inning, where he was replaced by James Nygren after allowing his ninth run of the game on a single through the left side by Weber. Stutes took the loss and dropped to 2-6 this season after giving up 10 hits and nine runs while walking four and striking out three.

Way improved to 3-3 this season after working eight full innings. He scattered seven runs and three hits while striking out six to go along with two walks.

Prince and Weber led Washington State with three hits apiece, while Gran had two. Weber drove in four to pace the Cougars.

Oregon State and Washington State continue the three-game series Sunday in a game that starts at 2 p.m. PT. Left-hander Tanner Robles (3-0, 2.84 ERA) is slated to start for the Beavers against Washington State lefty Jayson Miller (5-1, 4.63).

OSU Notes: The game was OSU’s first against a Pacific-10 Conference club that is unranked since playing Washington March 30 ... Since, the Beavers have faced No. 7 California, No. 10 Stanford, No. 2 Stanford and No. 23 Arizona ... On Friday, it was announced the Beavers would resume their suspended game against Portland on Wednesday at 4 p.m. PT at Goss Stadium ... OSU holds a 3-0 lead after three-and-a-half innings against the Pilots ... Daniel Robertson’s third-inning double was his 10th two-bagger of the season ... Jordan Lennerton m

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