The Barometer Online

Issue date: 3/16/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Cory Reed Freshman second baseman Joey Wong, with a batting average of .333, is shaping up to be a valuable addition to the Beavers Baseball team.

Having played 17 straight on the road, the OSU baseball team gets to stay at home for one more week as they welcome San Francisco to Goss Stadium at Coleman Field.

After a series sweep of Evansville, No. 5 OSU (17-3 overall) looks to get some wins against a team that beat them last year, USF (9-8). Last season in their only meeting of the year the Dons pulled off an 8-2 victory over then-No. 15 Oregon State.

"I expect them to be really good," said starting pitcher Mike Stutes. "I've played against them the last couple years. We played them last year, and I played them before when I was at Santa Clara. They have always been good; they are a really well coached team. You have to beat them because they are not going to beat themselves."

This season the Beavers are on a hot streak having won six straight thanks to strong pitching and hot bats.

The OSU pitching staff is led by their trio of starters Stutes, Joe Paterson and Daniel Turpen. Stutes enters the weekend 4-0 with a 2.86 ERA and 30 strikeouts. Paterson who will throw Saturday is 3-1 and 2.78 ERA. Sunday's starter Daniel Turpen has been outstanding thus far on the season. Turpen is 5-0 and sports a 2.48 ERA and 29 strike outs.

"I've started against them two years in a row," Stutes said. "This will be my third year starting against them. It makes you comfortable seeing the same team over and over again. But, there is probably only two guys that are the same as when I pitched against them freshman year."

Against Evansville the OSU offense did just about everything a ball club could do. Oregon State hit two home runs including a grand slam by catcher Mitch Canham. The Beavers received timely hits helping them grab a win in game two. Game three was won with bunts and a big RBI double by outfielder Mike Lissman.

The Beavers look for hot hitting to continue against a tough Dons pitching staff. Third baseman Drew George leads the Beavers with a .391 average and is looking to build on his six game hitting streak. Canham is hitting .386 with 19 RBI and two homeruns.

"Guys bats are starting to come alive," Canham said. "George is swinging real well, Lissman's swinging well and Darwin [Barney] is starting to swing it again."

Continued...

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