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June 4, 2007
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Oregon State Beavers advanced to the championship game of the Charlottesville Regional with a 5-2 win over Rutgers in an elimination game Monday afternoon at Davenport Field.
Lonnie Lechelt and Joey Wong each went 3-for-4 to lead the Beavers, while Dave Williams and Frank Meade each had two hits for Rutgers.
Jorge Reyes allowed two runs on six hits in six innings to earn the win for the Beavers. He improves to 5-3 on the season. Daniel Turpen pitched three innings of shutout relief, allowing one hit, to record his first save of season. Matt Giannini allowed four runs (two earned) on seven hits in six innings and took the loss for Rutgers. He falls to 5-5 on the season.
The Beavers (40-18) took the early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Chris Hopkins opened the inning with a walk and Jason Ogata followed with a single to center. They completed a double steal, and a throwing error on the Rutgers catcher on the play allowed Hopkins to score.
In the bottom of the fourth, Oregon State added two more runs. Scott Santschi walked, Jordan Lennerton reached on an error, and Lechelt had a bunt single to load the bases with no outs. A throwing error on the catcher allowed Santschi to score and Wong’s single up the middle drove in Lennerton to extend the lead to 3-0.
The Scarlet Knights (42-21) got on the board with a run in the top of the fifth. Todd Frazier drew a one-out walk and moved to second on a balk. He scored on Ryan Hill’s two-out single to right.
Rutgers cut the lead to 3-2 in the top of the sixth as Meade hit a solo home run to left. It was Meade’s second home run of the regional and 11th homer of the season.
Oregon State answered with a run in the bottom of the sixth, to make the score 4-2. Wong led off with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on a wild pitch. He scored on Mike Lissman’s RBI single to left.
In the bottom of the seventh, Lechelt hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot to left, to extended the Beavers’ lead to 5-2.
The Charlottesville Regional will continue Monday night as Oregon State plays Virginia at 6 p.m. If the Cavaliers win, they will advance to the Super Regional round of the tournament. If Oregon State wins, the teams will meet again on Tuesday with the winner advancing to the Super Regional.