The Barometer Online

Issue date: 2/19/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Jeff Wick Freshman Blake Gibbs takes a swing in a scrimmage last week. During the scrimmage Gibbs homered to left field. Gibbs is expected to see time this weekend against Tennessee.

As of 1 p.m. tomorrow afternoon, baseball season will have officially begun for the 2009 Oregon State Beavers.

The No. 25 Beavers start off their 2009 slate with a series on the road against the Tennessee Volunteers. OSU heads to Knoxville for the first-ever meeting between the two programs, with a retooled starting rotation prepared to face a lineup which includes one of the top players in the country, Kentrail Davis.

The Volunteers were picked to finish fifth in the SEC this coming season after finishing the 2008 slate 27-29.

Davis, a sophomore, finished the 2008 season with a .330 average before being named First Team Freshman All-American. The Theodore, Ala. native, was the only freshman in the country to be named to the semifinal list of 50 players that were nominated for the Golden Spikes Award. Davis led the Volunteers in average, home runs (13) and runs batted (44).

"We know Kentrail runs well and he hits well too," sophomore pitcher Greg Peavey said. "We have to pitch to his weaknesses and there aren't many of them. They are a quick and smart team who likes to play small ball and sometimes big ball."

Davis is one of five regular starters returning for the Volunteers in the field, although UT lost two of their top three hitters at the end of the 2008 season. On the other side of things, the Volunteers are set to send returning starter junior Nick Hernandez out to the mound in the first game of the season.

Hernandez tossed two complete games last year before finishing with a 5.16 ERA and 2-5 record. The southpaw will be followed on Saturday by sophomore Bryan Morgado, who posted the lowest ERA of the Tennessee starters last year at 4.59. Junior Stephen McCray, a transfer from Young Harris College, is listed to start Sunday's rubber game.

OSU looks to improve upon its 28-24 record from a year ago, as a group of young arms heads out to the mound in Knoxville. As junior Jorge Reyes prepares to start his season from the bullpen, due to a sore back, sophomore Tanner Robles will head out to the bump to meet the Vols.

Continued...

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