Beavers face Buckeyes in playoff opener

Regional contest in Corvallis includes Virginia, St. Johns

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The Portland Tribune, May 31, 2005, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Oregon State’s draw in its first NCAA Tournament in 19 years could have been better, but it could have been worse, too.

The third-ranked Beavers (41-9), seeded eighth in the 64-team field, will face unranked Ohio State (39-18) on Friday in their opener of a four-team, double-elimination regional at Goss Stadium in Corvallis. The regional also includes No. 2 seed Virginia (41-18) and No. 3 seed St. Johns (39-16).

Ohio State has won 19 of its last 22 games and ruled the season-ending Big Ten Conference tournament, led by senior outfielder Steve Caravati, the tourney MVP, who hit .361 for the season. The Buckeyes will be making their 17th trip to the NCAA tourney.

“Ohio State has historically been a good tournament team, and with Bob Todd, they are very well-coached,” Beaver coach Pat Casey says. “Some regionals look tougher than ours. Arizona is in the same bracket as Missouri and Cal State Fullerton. Then you have Arizona State, which probably has the easiest draw of anybody as a No. 4 seed.

“We’ll do what we’ve done all season Ñ just go out and play.”

Each team will play once on Friday and Saturday, with elimination games on Sunday and, if necessary, on Monday. Oregon State’s pitching depth, with starters Dallas Buck, Anton Maxwell and Jonah Nickerson, should help.

“With our bye last week, our pitchers are rested and ready to go,” Casey says.

Goss capacity will be increased from 2,000 to at least 3,000. Tickets go on sale at 8:30 a.m. today. Call 1-541-737-4455.

If Oregon State wins the regional, it will play host to a best-of-three Super Regional the following weekend against Southern Cal, Pepperdine, Long Beach State or Rhode Island. A win there would propel the Beavers into their first College World Series since 1952.

Ñ Kerry Eggers

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