The Barometer Online

Issue date: 5/20/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Brock Ameele Oregon State starting pitcher Tyler Waldron delivers against the Oregon Ducks. Waldron and relievers Kraig Sitton and Kevin Rhoderick shut out Oregon.

The moment belonged to head coach Pat Casey who with Oregon State's 2-0 win over Oregon, earned his 500th win at Oregon State.

Casey's milestone victory could not have been without a dazzling performance on the mound by sophomore starting pitcher Tyler Waldron. Against an Oregon (14-38) lineup, which included only five hitters above .200 and none over .300, Waldron struck out 10 in 7.1 innings on the hill.

"It felt great," Waldron said. "Especially with the circumstances that we are in now, playoffs and coach's 500th win, it is more than an honor to be a part of that."

After striking out four in the first two frames, Waldron was hoping for run support from his teammates and got a little of that in the bottom of the second. Leading off the inning for OSU (32-16) was junior designated hitter Adalberto Santos who dropped a bunt down the third baseline and beat it out for a single.

After moving to second on a balk by Oregon starter Alex Keudell and to third on a groundout by sophomore third baseman Stefen Romero, Santos was driven home on a line-drive double down the first baseline by senior centerfielder John Wallace.

Waldron continued to cruise when in the bottom of the fifth, Wallace led off with a walk. A sacrifice bunt by freshman shortstop Carter Bell moved Wallace to second where he was then able to move to third on a groundout to second by junior second baseman Joey Wong.

"We are hangin' on and know what we need to do," Casey said. "Oregon's played us tough and at least half the games we've played them, it's been one run game all the way to the end."

After battling to foul off a pitch with a 1-2 count, junior left fielder Rob Folsom single passed the diving Oregon shortstop, Danny Pulfer, scoring Wallace.

Back-to-back 1,2,3 innings in the sixth and seventh allowed Waldron to keep his pitch count down, before things got scary for Waldron and the Beavers.

With one out in the top of the eighth, Waldron surrendered a well-hit triple to center off the bat of Oregon centerfielder Kenny Bartz. With a .167 average entering the game, Bartz's triple looked like something that could get the Ducks on the scoreboard.

Continued...

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