College World Series Preview: Oregon State

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Oregon State’s first matchup in the College World Series will be against Mississippi State. It will be aired on ESPN2 at 3 PM ET/12 PM PT. Depending on the outcome of that game and IU’s game, the Beavers will play either the Hoosiers or Cardinals in their second game.

 

Oregon State, the number three national seed, is arguably the best team on Indiana’s side of the bracket. Currently boasting a 50-11 record, the Beavers are undefeated on neutral fields (5-0). On their way to a Pac-12 Championship, their first since 2006, OSU lost a miniscule six conference games. The Beavers are simply not accustomed to losing.

 

The Beaver offense can be potent. They have a combined .291 batting average and a +172 run differential. Oregon State’s on-base percentage of .380 is impressive, as it shows their tremendous plate discipline. Lacking a ton of power, OSU has hit 30 homeruns, with Michael Conforto accounting for over a third of them (11). The Beavers have 101 doubles and 141 total extra base hits. Compared to the Hoosiers, the Beavers average about a one less run per game. While Oregon State averages 5.8 runs per game, Indiana averages 6.9.

 

Pitching is the backbone of Oregon State. With two All-Americans, Andrew Moore and Matt Boyd, the Beaver pitching staff has allowed a mere 136 earned runs and have a 2.22 ERA. They’ve only given up 415 hits, about seven per game, and boast an impressive 1.06 WHIP. Giving up just 16 this season, OSU doesn’t allow many homeruns. Opponents are batting .213 and have only 95 extra-base hits. OSU averages about seven strikeouts per game and have a 2.58 to 1 strikeout to walk ratio. If Oregon State is going to win their third national championship, pitching will carry them to the title.

 

Comparing Oregon State to Indiana, the Hoosiers have the advantage on offense, but the Beavers have the pitching edge. If these two meet in the CWS, it will be a battle between great offense and great pitching. Indiana has won many slugfests, but Oregon State has the ability to limit the game to a pitching duel. It can be said that OSU and IU are the top two teams on this side of the bracket, and most college baseball fans want to see them battle.

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