Oregon State baseball outmatches Hawaii's strategies with their skillset
Blast from the Past in Manoa
In a lively night under the lights at Les Murakami Stadium, the seventh-ranked Oregon State Beavers trounced the home team, the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, with a decisive 11-4 victory. The stadium was packed to the brim, but it wasn't enough to slow down the Beavers, who improved their record to a stellar 33-11. The desperate Rainbow Warriors dropped to 28-15 after this tough defeat.
The Beavers' formidable duo of shortstop Aiva Arquette and designated hitter Gavin Turley put on a show, reaching base on eight out of twelve plate appearances combined. Arquette and Turley each scored three runs, demonstrating their tenacity and skill on the base paths.
The Rainbow Warriors were cautious of Arquette's power that often results in extra-base hits, so they started the game with an unusual four-outfielder alignment. Arquette found the defense strategy surprising, but it didn't last long as he capitalized on a Jordan Donahue error in the first inning, and Turley followed up with a double to put the Beavers up 2-0 before the first out was recorded.
Arquette and Turley continued to make their mark in the second inning, with RBI hits and an impressive two-run double from AJ Singer, extending the Beavers' advantage to a commanding 6-0.
In the fourth inning, catcher Wilson Weber capitalized on a string of hits by the Beavers, sending a bases-clearing double into the left-center gap to stretch the lead to 9-2. Weber subsequently discussed his strategy, focusing on hitting whatever was in the strike zone and avoiding chasing pitches off the plate.
The Beavers' batters through the third through ninth positions were polished, combining for 11 hits and seven RBIs. Notably, cleanup hitter AJ Singer and No. 5 batter Wilson Weber both finished with impressive three RBIs each.
Right-hander Eric Segura, starting for the Beavers after ten relief appearances, allowed just two earned runs in five innings. AJ Hutchenson and Kevin Oakes combined to throw four scoreless innings to secure the victory.
Though the pitching performance from Itsuki Takemoto wasn't up to par in this game, the Rainbow Warriors' battling spirit was undeniable, as shown by Itsuki's 2-for-4 performance at the plate and a run scored. Max Jones, a reliever for Hawaii, also impressed with a 2.1 scoreless innings effort.
Coach Rich Hill acknowledged the Beavers' ability to put pressure on the defense and the impressive outing by the OSU pitchers, stating, "You have to tip your hat to their pitchers. They were good." However, he was also frank about the disappointing quality start from Itsuki Takemoto, emphasizing it wasn't the performance they had hoped for.
[1] https://www.baseball-almanac.com/boxscore/114634607OSU.shtml[2] https://www.oregonlive.com/osubeavers/2023/04/osu-baseball-recap-beavers-beatch-rainbow-warriors-in-friday-series-opener.html[3] https://www.staradvertiser.com/2023/05/19/hawaii-sports/taking-stock-of-beryl-osaks-sports-programs/[4] https://www.staradvertiser.com/2023/05/19/sports/hawaii-baseball-routs-osu-14-4-in-second-game-of-series/[5] https://www.oregonlive.com/osubeavers/2023/05/season-overview-osu-beavers-baseball-season-in-review.html
Despite the unconventional four-outfielder alignment by the Rainbow Warriors, Aiva Arquette, the stylish shortstop from the Beavers, threw a surprising double, thanks to an error by Jordan Donahue early in the game.
In an exceptional display, AJ Singer, who batted fifth for the Beavers, demonstrated his versatility by hitting RBI hits and adding a two-run double, contributing to the team's commanding lead.
Catcher Wilson Weber made the most of the opportunities presented by his team's string of hits, culminating in a crucial bases-clearing double in the fourth inning, showcasing his alignment with the impressive Beavers' batting lineup.
