The Barometer Online

Issue date: 4/17/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Jeff Wick Sophomore outfielder Michael Miller bunts against BYU. Oregon State swept Brigham Young in a two-game series, while Miller hit his first career home run against the Cougars.

After sweeping BYU Monday and Tuesday, Oregon State (22-7, 7-2) will remain at home over the weekend as it prepares for its fourth conference series of the year.

The University of Southern California Trojans (17-15, 7-5), who currently sit in third place in the Pac-10, hope to remain hot and accomplish something no other team has been able to do at Goss Stadium in 2009.

"[I] don't know a lot about them other than [that they are] another good Pac-10 team coming to play," sophomore outfielder Michael Miller said. "It will be a great series at home and every Pac-10 series is big no matter what. We know they're a good team with good pitching and good hitting. In the Pac-10 everybody's good. We need to make sure we're prepared and ready to play like we have been."

The Beavers are three games short of the 25 win mark and are still undefeated when playing in front of their home crowd. Currently second place in the conference and a game and a half behind Arizona State University, Oregon State is depending on key players to keep it competitive as it strives for its second conference title since 2005.

Team captain and preseason All-American catcher Ryan Ortiz is one of the key players the Beavers need to have deliver in order to be successful. Currently leading the team with 40 hits on the year, the junior from San Diego is batting .354 with 25 RBI and 11 doubles.

"He is the guy and has been the guy for us all of last year," head coach Pat Casey said. "Being all Pac-10 last year, he is the guy that needs to drive in runs and the guys in front of him need to do a much better job."

Ortiz has recently strung together an eight-game hit streak that began at the beginning of April in the first game of a series against the California Golden Bears. Starting all 29 games for the Beavers this season, the outstanding catcher has recorded only one error for a fielding percentage of .994.

Continued...

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