CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — Travis Bazzana hit a two-run home run, Dallas Macias singled in a pair and No. 15 national seed Oregon State defeated UC Irvine 5-3 on Saturday night at the Corvallis Regional.
UC Irvine (44-13) will play Tulane (36-25) in an elimination game on Sunday. Oregon State (44-14) will play the winner in the nightcap. If the Beavers lose, a rematch will be played on Monday to decide the championship with a berth in the super regionals on the line.
Oregon State took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning after Elijah Hainline singled up the middle with one out and Bazzana sent a two-out, full-count pitch over the fence down the right-field line.
The Anteaters got a run back in the top of the fifth inning on back-to-back two-out doubles by No. 9 hitter Jo Oyama and Woody Hadeen.
The Beavers answered with two runs in their half of the fifth to push their lead to 4-1. Macias’ two-out single plated Hainline and Mason Guerra, who led off the inning with singles.
Oregon State scored its final run on a double play in the seventh.
UC Irvine scored twice in the eighth on Caden Kendle’s RBI double and Anthony Martinez’s sacrifice fly.
Jacob Kmatz (7-2) surrendered just one run in a seven-inning start to pick up the win. He gave up three hits and a walk while striking out nine.
Trevor Hansen (6-4) took the loss after allowing four runs on eight hits and a walk in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out eight.
Oregon State is aiming for its ninth regional championship. The Beavers have won three College World Series in seven appearances, posting championships in 2006-07 and 2018.
UC Irvine made CWS appearances in 2007 and 2014. The Anteaters won back-to-back championships in 1973-74 at the Division II level.
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