Oregon State baseball celebrates after AJ Singer's walk-off single against Florida State on Friday, June 6 at Goss Stadium. Courtesy photo: Emma Calimag-Sisson, Oregon State Athletics

Down to the final strike of their last out in game one of the Corvallis Super Regional, the No. 8 Oregon State baseball (46-13-1) found a way to win its fifth-straight game, knocking off No. 9 Florida State (41-15) 5-4 in 10 innings on Friday, June 6 at Goss Stadium.

Trailing 4-2 with backup catcher Bryce Hubbard standing on third base, outfielder Dallas Macias on second and first baseman Jacob Krieg at the plate in a 2-2 count, the 6-foot-5, 240-pound Krieg — affectionately nicknamed ‘Bonk’ by teammates — put a swing on a slider from Florida State reliever Joe Charles that found the left-field grass. Both Hubbard and Macias came home to score, knotting the game at four runs apiece in the bottom of the ninth.

“I took a deep breath, kind of listened to the crowd and realized it was bigger than myself,” Krieg said. “I really wanted to do it for the boys. I was trying to battle, got a slider I could handle and just put a good swing on it.”

New swing, no problem

The circumstances of the moment were surprising to say the least. Entering the inning, the Beavers trailed 4-1, with catcher Wilson Webber driving a double to the gap to lead off before third baseman Trent Caraway and AJ Singer put the Beavers on the ropes.

Hubbard, Weber’s understudy behind the dish, had recorded just 31 plate appearances before drawing the two-out walk as a pinch hitter for designated hitter Tyce Peterson. Macias, who pinch-hit for centerfielder Canon Reeder, had recorded just 16 hits (.152 average) prior to his two-out single that loaded the bases. Krieg himself had struck out in 40% of at-bats this season and is in the midst of a major swing retooling.

Beavers head coach Mitch Canham had a different idea.

“I’m looking at the lineup of who’s coming up and picturing all these things,” Canham said of the pinch hitters. “I look over at Hubbard and I go, ‘That guy is going to get on base,’ and I look at Macias and go, ‘He’s going to get on base.’ And I look over at the big guy (Krieg) and I’m (thinking) this is a huge moment, and he’s going to handle it like a man. I loved that (the hit) was with two strikes, too.”

Krieg’s swing tied the game, with outfielder Easton Talt’s pop sending the Beavers to the top of the 10th. The two-out rally in the bottom of the ninth bailed Oregon State out after eight disappointing innings from the Beavers offense, logging seven hits and one run (a fourth-inning RBI double from Weber).

Pulling a second rabbit out of the hat

Right-handed reliever Kellan Oakes spun a scoreless top of the 10th, retiring the side in order with two fly outs and a ground ball, carrying on the Beavers’ dominance on the bump as of late.

Oakes (4-0) was the fourth pitcher to see action in game one, following up Dax Whitney’s (10 strikeouts, one run in 4.2 innings) dominant but brief start. Junior lefty Nelson Keljo (2.2 IP, two runs allowed) and right-hander AJ Hutcheson’s (1.2 IP, one run) also made relief appearances, doing enough to keep the game within reach.

Riding the energy and with the heart of their order coming up, the Beavers came out swinging. Shortstop Aiva Arquette bashed a leadoff double, followed up by a single from outfielder Gavin Turley. An intentional walk to Weber loaded the bases before third baseman Trent Caraway’s grounder took Arquette off and pushed everyone 90-feet closer to home, bringing second baseman AJ Singer up to bat.

“(Trent Caraway) and I made eye contact and both pounded our chests (to say) we’ve got each other,” Singer said of what went through his mind when he stepped to the plate. “The outfield kind of moved in a little bit, I was just looking to drive the ball either over their heads or right at them… sac-fly gets the job done, hit gets the job done.”

The junior dumped the first pitch FSU’s John Abraham gave him into left field, scoring Turley.

Ballgame.

“This one is definitely No. 1 in my book,” Singer said of seeing his teammates storm the field afterwards. “Please don’t (let me) get hurt, that’s the big thing. I lost a shoe, I lost a helmet, lost an elbow guard. I don’t know how they came off me.”

The win puts Oregon State one more away from its first College World Series appearance since winning the 2018 national championship, as well as their first-ever trip to Omaha under head coach Mitch Canham.

Florida State won’t go down without a fight, however. Seminoles’ head coach Link Jarrett announced following the game that ace left-hander Jamie Arnold (8-2, 3.12 ERA) will make the game-two start against the Beavers. Canham was less revealing about his plans for a starter, but all signs point toward sophomore left-hander Ethan Kleinschmit (8-3, 3.70 ERA) toeing the rubber out the gate.

“The last question was before that one, right?” Canham said, grinning. “I know (second baseman) Dawson Santana wants the ball… (Kleinschmit) is a pretty good option.”

How to watch game two

Game two of the Corvallis Super Regional is set to get underway at 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 7 at Goss Stadium in Corvallis. It will be broadcast on ESPN2.