When the last two Pac-12 teams that have reached the College World Series the past two years go head-to-head at Hi-Corbett Field, you know it will be a good game. 

And so it was, but the Arizona baseball team was unable to secure game one of the three game series against the No. 4 Oregon State Beavers who took the win 6-2 Friday night at Hi-Corbett Field in front of a season high of 4,645 fans. 

The Wildcats have won the past five games at home due to their powerful offensive off the bat, but OSU gave them a wake up call giving the ‘Cats their second loss at home this season.

Arizona’s ace pitcher Cody Deason opened up the series against OSU on Friday night. The junior right-handed pitcher threw six innings, but gave up four runs to the Beavers before being relieved from the mound by freshman left-handed pitcher Gil Luna. 

“[Deason] did fine,” Arizona head coach Jay Johnson said. “I did think he competed well, he struck two guys out with the bases loaded.” 

The Beavers were able to get on the scoreboard first with a RBI double, but Arizona’s third baseman Nick Quintana responded with a solo home run to tie the score 1-1. OSU made their rounds around the bases and secured a three-run lead in the top of the sixth with a RBI double, followed by a fielding error by Arizona shortstop Travis Moniot to take the lead 4-1. 

“It was their hitters doing a better job against our pitcher than our hitters did against their pitcher,” Johnson said. 

The Beavers starting pitcher Bryce Fehmel held off the Wildcats for 6.2 innings allowing one run and posting and ERA of 3.78. Arizona reached back into their bullpen and brought out senior right-handed pitcher Robby Medel, who allowed the Beavers to grab ahold of one more run to leave the ‘Cats to a four-run deficit. 

Arizona’s second baseman Cameron Cannon hit a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth, but the Wildcats couldn’t keep the momentum going to add more to the board. The Beavers added an unearned run due to a fielding error by Quintana. 

“Winning and losing a really small margin when you’re playing a really good team like that,” Johnson said. “I think their [OSU] hitters did a little better job, making it tougher on Cody than our guys did on Bryce Fehmel.”

Arizona will hope to tie up the series against the Beavers during game two on Saturday, April 7 at 7 p.m.

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