In a thrilling turn of events, Oregon managed to score three runs in the bottom of the ninth, forcing extra innings against Florida. The Beavers ultimately clinched Game 1 of the Corvallis Super Regional, winning 5-4 in the bottom of the tenth.
Florida State initially held a 4-1 advantage going into the ninth, bolstered by strong pitching that resulted in 10 strikeouts. However, things took a turn for the Seminoles when Oregon catcher Wilson Weber hit a line drive to left center. Florida’s left fielder, Chase Williams, attempted to block the ball with a slide, but it slipped past him, bouncing off the wall for a double.
After Florida pitcher Joe Charles secured a couple of strikeouts, Oregon’s coach brought in a pair of pinch hitters. The first was Bryce Hubbard, who had a .211 batting average for the season. He managed to draw a walk, bringing a run closer. Next up was Dallas Mathias, another pinch hitter with a .154 average, who also got on base with a walk.
Oregon kept Weber at third, and Macias responded by hitting a line drive to right field.
This brought Jacob Krieg to the plate. Charles threw a breaking ball that got passed the catcher, allowing Weber to score on a wild pitch, reducing Florida’s lead to 4-2.
Despite Charles getting two swinging strikes on Krieg, the count evened out at 2-2. Then, Krieg connected with the next pitch, hitting a single to left that scored both Hubbard and Macias, leveling the game at 4-4.
The Beavers weren’t done yet, as their leadoff hitter, Easton Tart, launched a drive to right field, giving the impression they might win in a walk-off scenario. However, the ball fell short, landing on the warning track, and the game went into extra innings.
Florida managed a couple of singles but couldn’t convert any runs in the top of the tenth. Oregon continued to build on their momentum, with shortstop Iva Arquette hitting a double down the left field line. Gavin Turley aimed for a hit to finish the game, but Florida State shortstop Alex Lodise made a fantastic play, keeping Arquette at third.
After Florida intentionally walked Weber to load the bases, a weak grounder led to a force out at home. However, with the bases still loaded, AJ Singer lofted a fly ball that sailed over the center fielder’s head, bringing Tart home for the winning run.
Oregon is now just one win away from advancing to the Men’s College World Series, but they’ll have to get past Florida ace Jamie Arnold. Arnold, a left-handed pitcher, is projected to be a top-five pick in the upcoming MLB draft and holds a solid record of 8-2 with a 3.12 ERA this season.
