Oregon State stuns Florida State to take Game 1 of their Super Regional matchup

Down to their final strike and trailing by 3, Oregon State stunned Florida State in Game 1 of the Corvallis Super Regional

They were down to their final strike. But somehow, some way, Oregon State found a way to push three runs across the plate in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings against Florida State. Then the Beavers brought home the winning run in the bottom of the tenth to steal Game 1 of the Corvallis Super Regional by a final score of 5-4.

Powered by ten strikeouts from their pitching staff and some timely hitting, Florida State took a 4-1 lead to the bottom of the ninth. But that is when things started to unravel for the Seminoles. Oregon State catcher Wilson Weber led off the bottom of the ninth by lacing a line drive to left-center, and scampered to second after Florida State left fielder Chase Williams tried to stop the ball with a slide, but the ball got by him and rolled to the wall for a double.

After Florida State pitcher Joe Charles got a pair of strikeouts, the Beavers turned to a pair of pinch-hitters, who would become somewhat unlikely heroes. First it was Bryce Hubbard came to the plate with a .211 average on the season. But Hubbard worked a walk, bringing the tying run to the plate. The Beavers called on another pinch hitter number two, Dallas Macias, who walked to the dish with a .154 average.

But Macias responded with a liner to right field to load the bases, as Oregon State held Weber at third.

That brought first baseman Jacob Krieg to the dish. The first pitch Charles threw to Krieg was a breaking ball that got away from the catcher, bringing Weber home on the wild pitch to cut Florida State’s lead to 4-2.

Charles got a pair of swinging strikes on Krieg to work the count in his favor, but Krieg took the next pitch to even the count at 2-2. That’s when he singled to left, bringing both Hubbard and Macias home to tie the game at 4-4:

The Beavers were not done, and for a moment it looked as if they were going to win in walk-off fashion, as leadoff hitter Easton Talt lofted a drive to right field. But that died on the warning track, and the game went to extra innings.

Florida State managed a two-out single but nothing more in the top of the tenth, and Oregon State kept their momentum from the bottom of the ninth rolling when they came to the plate. Shortstop Aiva Arquette led off the inning with a line drive down the left-field line for a double. Gavin Turley then laced a ground ball up the middle that looked for a moment like it was going to end the game, but Florida State shortstop Alex Lodise did a great job of keeping the ball in the infield to hold Arquette at third.

After Florida State walked Weber to load the bases, a weak grounder fielded by the catcher led to a force play at home. But with the bases still loaded, second baseman AJ Singer lofted a fly ball over the center fielder’s head, bringing Turley home with the winning run:

Oregon State is now one win away from advancing to the Men’s College World Series, but standing in their way is Florida State’s ace, Jamie Arnold. Arnold, a left-hander who is expected to be a top-five selection in the MLB Draft this summer, went 8-2 this season with an ERA of 3.12.