The Barometer Online

Issue date: 5/19/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Peter Strong At left, the Beavers have found their replacement to Kevin Gunderson in Kevin Rhoderick. The standout has 11 saves in his 19 apperances and only one loss which he suffered this weekend against USC.

Media Credit: Curtis Barnard At right, fellow freshman Greg Peavey winds and delivers. He made his 14th apperance on Sunday. He is 2-3 on the season with a 5.56 ERA in 43.2 innings pitched.

The Oregon State baseball team dropped its final Pac-10 Conference game of the season, 6-5, to USC Sunday afternoon at Dedeaux Field.

Hector Rabago singled to center with two outs in the ninth for USC's one-run win. The loss dropped the Beavers to 25-23 on the year and they finished it 11-13 in Pac-10 play.

USC meanwhile, improved to 27-26 overall and 10-11 in Pac-10 games.

Oregon State jumped out to a five-run lead after three innings, highlighted by Jordan Lennerton's fifth home run of the season in the second. Daniel Robertson began the game's scoring by driving in a run with a two-out single through the left side in the first.

Rhoderick dropped to 0-1 this season while Vazsquez improved to 3-1 after working the final three innings for the Trojans. He held the Beavers scoreless while walking one and striking out one.

Lennerton made it 3-0 when he hit a towering shot to right field to tie Joey Wong and Ryan Ortiz for the team lead. It scored Drew George, who had led off the inning with a walk.

OSU made it 5-0 in the third. John Wallace reached on a fielder's choice and scored when the next batter, Robertson, roped a triple down the right field line. He scored, when two batters later, George flew out to left for a sacrifice fly.

Oregon State starter Greg Peavey made it through the first five innings unscathed, allowing just two hits while striking out four. But he and reliever Blake Keitzman ran into trouble in the sixth. USC sent 10 batters to the plate during the frame, posting four runs on four hits. Mark Grbavac, the third pitcher of the inning for Oregon State, retired the 10th batter of the inning, stranding three USC runners.

But the Trojans were able to tie the game in the fifth. Kevin Rhoderick, in relief for Grbavac, hit the second batter he faced, Robert Stock, with the bases loaded. But Rhoderick was able to get out of the inning when inducing Nick Buss into an inning-ending flyout.

Peavey ended the game having worked 5 1/3 innings, surrendering four hits and two runs. He struck out four and walked two. He did not figure in the decision.

Keitzman and Grbavac, meanwhile, combined to work 1 1/3 innings of relief. They scattered three hits and two runs with three walks.

Brad Boxberger made it just four innings for the Trojans Sunday, allowing six hits and five runs before being replaced by Kevin Couture to start the fourth. Boxberger struck out six but walked four.

OSU NOTES: Greg Peavey's start Sunday was his first since March 9 against Santa Clara in San Diego and all four of Peavey's starts this season have come away from Goss Stadium.

Ryan Ortiz threw out his 12th runner attempting to steal this season in an unusual manner in the second when he caught Mike O'Neill on the back end of a double steal allowing Greg Peavey to eventually get out of the inning unscathed after allowing a walk and a hit to start the second.

Jordan Lennerton's second-inning home run was the team' 34th this season, the 2007 club had 33 in the regular season and hit 13 in 11 postseason games.

This loss could spell trouble for the Beavers' postseason hopes even though the 2007 team earned a spot in regionals with a Pac-10 record under .500. If the team is to make the postseason, they must win-out their final games.

The game was USC's senior day and the Trojans elected to honor the Beavers' seniors who made the trip before the game. They were pitcher Mike Stutes, catcher Erik Ammon, infielders Lonnie Lechelt, Drew George, Jordan Lennerton and outfielders Chris Hopkins, Braden Wells and Daniel Robertson. The group, along with pitcher Reed Brown, will be honored prior to the May 25 game against Pacific.

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