Spring Break
Pitching duel will highlight baseball match-up this weekend
Washington's Tim Lincecum, the nation's leader in strike outs, will go up against OSU's Dallas Buck in a three-game series against the Huskies
Steven Masters
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The halfway point in the Pac-10 Conference season has hit and the Oregon State baseball team finds itself in a similar position as last year. The No. 5 Beavers (32-10, 9-3 Pac-10) had the same conference record at this point last season and hosted a very formidable opponent during Mom's Weekend. Last year at this time, the Beavers won the series against Arizona State at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field. This year, the Beavers welcome the University of Washington Huskies (30-17, 8-7 Pac-10) for the much-anticipated Mom's Weekend match-up.
"I know we can win and know they're very good," said catcher Mitch Canham. "The main thing is to keep doing what we've been doing. We are starting to play together like a cohesive unit and have a lot more fun."
Many players' mothers and families will make the trip to watch their sons play this weekend. For those players that live close, the special weekend is nothing new.
"For me, Mom's Week is a little different," said second baseman Chris Kunda. "My mom is here and I am from Philomath, so I don't really go months upon end without seeing her. I plan on probably going out to dinner with her."
The special weekend will yield an extra-special treat on Friday night, as the game will feature two of the best pitchers in the Pac-10. Dallas Buck (9-0, 2.36 ERA) will face Tim Lincecum (10-2, 1.72 ERA) of the visiting Huskies in the marquee match-up.
As a slender junior from Renton, Wash., Lincecum has anchored a Husky pitching staff that ranks second to last in the Pac-10 in team ERA (4.95). With 152 strike outs in 94 innings of work, Lincecum and his 100 mile-per-hour fastball will be on full display. The nation's leader in strike outs will force the Beaver line up to stay relaxed.
"We're going to have to remain patient," Kunda said. "I think we are going to have to make him throw strikes. In the past couple of years, we struggled with that."
Lincecum has even been discussed as a possible No. 1 draft pick of the Kansas City Royals in June's MLB draft. Statistics aside, Lincecum is very beatable in the minds of the Beavers.
"Velocity wise he is going to have the nastiest stuff we've seen," Canham said of Lincecum. "Cal Poly had Gary Daley who threw a really nasty breaking ball, but Lincecum is going to come out with some cheddar. It's a matter of getting your foot down on time and making sure you're not swinging at balls because it's hard to control a 100 mph fastball."
The Beavers have a two-game lead in conference play, but an abundance of teams are knocking on the door. USC is only two games back - and Washington, Arizona State and UCLA are all two and a half games back - of the first-place Beavers.
With only two home series left in conference play, the Beavers will look to put on a good show for the visiting families and increase their stronghold of the Pac-10. Buck and Lincecum are tentatively scheduled for tonight's match up at 5 p.m. at Goss Stadium. Jonah Nickerson and Husky Elliott Cribby will duel in game two on Saturday at 1 p.m. followed by Mike Stutes and Husky Kyle Parker at Sunday at 1 p.m.
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