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Oregon State twice crushes LSU, now hosts Minnesota in Super Regional

CORVALLIS - No. 3 national seed Oregon State wrapped up the Corvallis Regional in decisive fashion Sunday with a 12-0 victory over LSU before a crowd of 3,915 at Goss Stadium.
Oregon State's Steven Kwan hits a home run against LSU in the first inning of an NCAA collage baseball game in Corvallis, Ore., Sunday, June 3, 2018. (Amanda Loman/Albany Democrat-Herald via AP)

CORVALLIS - No. 3 national seed Oregon State wrapped up the Corvallis Regional in decisive fashion Sunday with a 12-0 victory over LSU before a crowd of 3,915 at Goss Stadium.

A year after being eliminated by LSU in the College World Series, the Beavers posted two lopsided wins over the Tigers, winning Saturday's first matchup in the four-team, double elimination regional 14-1.

OSU (47-10-1), the No. 1 seed in the Corvallis Regional, scored 35 runs and gave up just four in its three regional games.

"You work the entire time to try and get a team to be unified, and try to get one mission and they accomplished that in this particular regional," OSU coach Pat Casey said.

The Beavers will host the best-of-three Corvallis Super Regional next weekend against No. 14 national seed Minnesota, which defeated UCLA on Sunday to win the Minneapolis Regional.

LSU (39-27), the No. 2 seed in Corvallis, defeated Northwestern State, 9-5, in an elimination game Sunday afternoon. The Tigers needed to beat OSU on Sunday to force a decisive game Monday.

That wasn't in the cards for LSU.

LSU's pitching staff, already missing two starters due to late-season injuries, could not hold up against the Beavers' potent lineup. It was the Tigers' fourth game in three days.

"They have a great ballclub. No weaknesses," LSU Paul Mainieri said of the Beavers. "A very veteran team."

Lead-off hitter Steven Kwan homered in the OSU's three-run bottom of the first inning, and the Beavers increased their lead to 6-0 after three.

Shortstop Cadyn Grenier also had a solo homer for the Beavers, who received an outstanding pitching performance from freshman Kevin Abel.

In his fifth start of the season, Abel gave up three hits in eight innings, struck out eight and walked one. He received a standing ovation after being relieved by Jake Mulholland after giving up a lead-off single in the ninth.

Abel may have solidified his spot as the Beavers' No. 3 starter moving forward behind Luke Heimlich and Bryce Fehmel.

"Being a starter has been a goal of mine since the start of the fall," Abel said. "I"m there whenever coach Casey needs me,"

Kyle Nobach's two-run double was the key hit in a four-run sixth inning as OSU batted around and increased its lead to 10-0. Nobach drove in four runs.

OSU second baseman Nick Madrigal, who was named Most Outstanding Player in the Corvallis Regional, is expected to be an early first-round pick in the Major League Baseball Draft that begins Monday.

"Whatever is meant to happen is gonna happen. It's kind of out of my control now," Madrigal said, adding "right now I'm focused on this postseason run."

It's a run that would continue in Omaha in the CWS if the Beavers get past Minnesota.

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