Bears Walk It Off Against Beavers

BERKELEY – In a battle of home run derby, the California baseball team came out on top thanks to a dramatic ninth inning 2-run home run from Seth Gwynn to give the Bears a 10-8 win over No. 5 Oregon State Friday night at Stu Gordon Stadium.

The two teams hit a combined seven home runs, two coming in the ninth inning. Oregon State (30-7, 10-5 Pac-12) was down to its final out in the top of the ninth inning when Elijah Hainline homered to right field to tie the game up at 8-8.

Cal (22-14, 9-10) was also down to its final out in the bottom of the ninth when Gwynn jumped all over a first-pitch slider off relief pitcher Bridger Holmes (2-2), keeping the ball just inside the left field foul pole for his fourth home run of the year. It was Cal’s fourth walk-off win of the season.

Tyler Stasiowski (3-1) earns the win after surrendering the lead in the ninth. He entered the game in the top of the eighth with a runner on and got the Bears out of the inning getting Micah McDowell to strike out. Stasiowski struck out the side in the ninth to finish the evening with four strikeouts. He allowed a hit and two runs with a walk.

The loss went to Holmes who entered the game in the bottom of the ninth looking to send the game to extra innings. He opened the frame getting a strikeout before walking Max Handron on seven pitches. With one out and a runner on, Holmes struck out Alec Ritch on three nasty breaking balls to bring Gwynn to the plate with two down.

The power display from both sides showed up early in the contest.

In the bottom of the first inning, PJ Moutzouridis put a charge into a 3-2 offering for his fifth of the year. Cal kept the pressure on Beaver’s starter Aiden May, scoring two more runs on an RBI hit from Rodney Green Jr. and an RBI double from Handron. May finished the evening, allowing nine hits and six runs with a walk and four strike outs in 5.0 innings pitched.  

The Beavers scored their first run of the night on a 2-run home run in the top of the third inning from third baseman Mason Guerra. Cal reliever Luke Short retired the first eight batters he faced before surrendering the home run to Guerra.

In the bottom of the third inning, Jarren Advicula started a 3-run rally with a single through the right side. May then surrendered a single to right field from Caleb Lomavita to put two on for Green Jr., who jumped all over a first-pitch fast ball for a deep home run to center field, his 11th of the year and 31st of his career. He is now tied with David Cooper (2007-08) for 10th all-time in program history.

In the top of the fifth OSU tied the game up at 6-6, scoring four runs on four hits. Home runs from Guerra and Wilson Weber provided a bulk of the damage. Short was able to end the threat and keep the game tied. He came back out in the top of the sixth and retired the Beavers in order. His line on the night 5.0 innings pitched, allowing seven hits, six runs, four earned, with two walks and two strikeouts.

Six Bears had multiple hits on the night. Gwynn went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI. Advincula, Lomavita, Green Jr., Schulze, and Handron all had two hits. Advincula, Schulze, and Handron all extended their reached base safely streaks. Advincula’s now stands at 27 games, Schulze extended his to 20 and Handron’s is now at 16.

Cal will look to make it seven in a row and take the series in game two. The game will be streamed on Pac-12 Insider and is scheduled to begin at 4:05 p.m.