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Statesman Journal reporter talks Oregon State baseball’s season-opener
The Oregon State Beavers open their baseball season Feb. 13 against Michigan in Surprise, Arizona.
The 2026 Oregon State baseball season is set to begin.
The No. 12 Beavers will open their season at 1 p.m. Feb. 13 against Michigan in Surprise, Ariz., competing in the first of four games at the College Baseball Series. Oregon State then plays Arizona, Stanford and Michigan again on consecutive days.
All games will be available to stream on FloCollege.com with a subscription.
This year marks the 12th straight year that the Beavers have opened in Surprise. Oregon State is 10-1 in the previous 11 season-openers there, with the only loss coming at the hands of New Mexico in 2023.
Against Michigan, Oregon State holds a perfect 5-0 all-time record.
OSU meets former Pac-12 foes in Arizona and Stanford. The three make up for nine of the last 12 Pac-12 champions dating to 2012.
It’s a weekend full of some high-quality competition, and the Beavers are eager to get the season rolling.
“No matter what, you still feel those feelings of excitement to watch the guys get to go out and play,” OSU coach Mitch Canham said. “We’re ready to go play someone else.”
Oregon State’s probable starting pitcher against Michigan is sophomore Dax Whitney.
Whitney was named a preseason first-team all-American by D1Baseball.com, spent last fall on a tour of Japan with Team USA and posted a freshman year win-loss record of 6-3 with a 3.40 earned-run average that earned him all-American honors.
OSU junior Ethan Kleinschmit, like Whitney a preseason all-American, is expected to follow against Arizona.
“We’ve landed on (Whitney) and then (Kleinschmit),” Canham said. “A lot of it early on is what are our needs day one, day two.”
Canham said he’s reluctant to name starters for Sunday and Monday’s games, in case the bullpen or starting rotation gets called upon.
The OSU pitching staff as a whole has been making noise as one of the top staffs in the nation heading into the season, but the offense is prepared, too.
A slew of new players joined the Beavers in the offseason, including transfers from top programs around the country and highly touted recruits beginning their collegiate careers.
The insurgence of talent provides Canham and the OSU coaching staff with the flexibility of numerous options at multiple positions around the field, something Canham said he hopes to do in the early season bouts.
“I do like the depth that’s provided out there at every position,” Canham said. “How we go about our defensive work too — guys are constantly moving … it’s matchups.”
Canham said several factors will go into picking a day’s lineup, including recovery, matchups and motivation.
“The more present we are with the guys, we’ll have a handle on who’s ready to go out and compete,” Canham said. “There’s going to need to be adjustments throughout the season, player to player and moment to moment.”
Examples being the catcher slot, with two quality options in seniors Bryce Hubbard or Jacob Galloway, both of whom bring experience to the table.
Or in the outfield, where Goss Stadium staple Easton Talt in right field is joined by several strong outfield additions from both the portal and freshman class.
“We’ve encouraged our guys in that even if we do have a bump, you should feel really good because you know you’ve got a guy right next to you on your right, and a guy on your left who can also do that job at a high level,” Canham said. “And if what we’re focused on is the team being successful, that’s a great place to be.”
Landon Bartlett covers Oregon State and high school sports at the Statesman Journal. He can be reached at LBartlett@statesmanjournal.com or on X, TikTok or Instagram @bartlelo.
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Here’s a look at April 30, 2026, results for each game:
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Crime
A man from Oregon pleaded guilty Wednesday to a 1979 murder in Back Bay, a crime he confessed to in 2023, authorities said.
John Irmer, 71, was charged with first-degree murder of 24-year-old Susan Rose, whose body was found in an apartment at 285 Beacon St. on Oct. 30, 1979, according to a statement from Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden.
In August 2023, Irmer confessed to the murder at an FBI field office in Portland, Oregon. He initially spoke with federal authorities twice, each time admitting to the crime, before Boston Police Homicide Unit detectives traveled to Oregon to interview him, according to a 2023 statement of facts filed with the court.
Irmer told detectives that his decision to confess stemmed from becoming sober and “finding Jesus” after serving a lengthy prison sentence for a separate murder conviction in California, the statement of facts noted.
Irmer described meeting the victim, identified as Rose, in Boston around Halloween 1979 while she was arguing with her boyfriend, court records indicate.
After visiting Rose’s basement apartment and walking around Back Bay, Irmer and Rose stopped at a house under construction. As Rose walked up a set of stairs inside the house, Irmer struck her in the head with a hammer “so hard that he believes that he killed her instantly,” according to court documents.
Irmer also confessed to sexually assaulting Rose after killing her, authorities said.
After the murder, Irmer admitted to stealing Rose’s wallet, taking the cash, and discarding the remainder of the wallet into the Charles River before traveling by bus to New York.
Irmer additionally confessed to committing another murder in a southern state, which authorities from that state are investigating. He also admitted to shooting someone in a different southern state, though he was uncertain if that victim died, according to court documents.
“Irmer repeatedly stated that he wanted to do what was right and cited his finding Jesus and feeling bad about what he had done for his reason for confessing and wanting to plead guilty immediately,” the statement of facts noted.
First-degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office.
A different man was initially arrested for Rose’s murder but was ultimately found not guilty, according to Hayden. In 2005, a DNA profile was developed from sperm cells located on a broom that had been found inserted inside Rose’s body, and the person previously arrested was excluded as the source of the sperm found on the broomstick.
Rose’s older sister presented a victim impact statement during Wednesday’s hearing, Hayden said. She held a photo of Rose from first grade, saying she wished to remember her that way.
Rose was described by her sister as adventurous, intelligent, and motivated, with dreams of becoming a lawyer.

“All of this was taken from her … Susie never got to finish school, get married, or have her own children,” she said. “She never got to see all the places she wanted to visit, meet new friends, or have new adventures. Her life was cut short at the age of 24.”
Rose’s sister explained how the murder profoundly impacted her family.
“My parents were never the same after Susie’s murder,” she said. “Though they lived long lives, they were never truly happy or at peace.”
Mourning the loss of her only sibling, Rose’s sister shared her personal grief, saddened by the fact that her daughter would never have the chance to meet her aunt.
“I am relieved that there is some closure to this nightmare,” she said. “I truly hope that John Irmer understands what he did because I will never forget.”
Following the hearing, Hayden commended the investigators on the case. He also addressed Rose’s family, saying “The answers for Susan Rose’s sister and friends finally came today, though after a very long and sad period of time. I hope other families affected by John Irmer’s murderous behavior find similar answers.”
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BANDON, Ore. – It was the kind of beautiful shot golfers dream about. Pure contact, the ball soaring against a blue sky and sliding just a touch a right before touching down on the green near the flagstick on the closing stretch at iconic Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. And it was all propelled by a late bathroom break and a quick walk back into the fairway that left little time to overthink a pressure-packed situation.
This particular shot, an 8-iron from 173 yards, had significant meaning. Jesse Droemer, a teaching professional at Riverbend Country Club near Houston, was tied for the lead through 16 holes in Wednesday’s final round of the PGA Professional Championship. His lead had been as many as three during the back nine, but he had been run down by Ben Kern. Droemer needed to make something happen.
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On No. 17 of the resort’s Bandon Dunes course, Droemer faced a challenging shot into the green with the flag tucked on the left behind a knob as strong winds blew off the left. He nailed that 8-iron to within birdie range. He missed the putt and settled for a par, but that proved to be enough. Kern, playing in the final group behind Droemer, soon after landed his approach on the right side of the putting surface and watched the ball slide off the green into the rough. Kern’s ensuing bogey gave Droemer a one-shot lead, and after both players parred the 18th, the title was Droemer’s.
Jesse Droemer won the 2026 PGA Professional Championship at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon.
What were Droemer’s thoughts as he left the 17th tee on his way to what would prove to be the tournament-deciding shot? Probably not what you would think, as Droemer explained after receiving the trophy.
“Well, honestly, I had to use the restroom so bad, I had to run from the tee over to the Porta Potty that was like 200 yards away,” Droemer said with a smile. “[Caddie Carl Everts] got the number, and I said, ‘Give me a yardage,’ and he had it, and I just stepped up and hit the shot. No time to think, just react. I do think that was one of the shots of the tournament, for sure.”
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After nearly holing a 77-yard approach shot into the par-5 18th that set up the winning par, Droemer finished with a 2-under 70 in the final round, good for a 4-under total of 283. Kern, of South Bloomfield, Ohio, shot 71 in the final round to finish in second place at 3-under. Michael Kartrude of Royal Palm Beach, Florida, was third after a closing 70 and a 2-under total. It was the second straight day of strong breezes that at times surpassed 20 mph, causing havoc for club selection and making it tough to hole putts of any length.
“I was just embracing the challenge,” said Droemer, 34. “I knew it was gonna be windy. I knew the conditions were gonna be tough, and I was just really was trying to embrace the elements. And, you know, I’m glad it was windy. I’m glad it was playing hard.”
Droemer, Kern, Kartrude and 17 other players now have a new challenge: the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 14-17. The top 20 from the PGA Professional Championship qualified for the major in Pennsylvania. It will be Droemer’s third appearance in the PGA Championship, having first qualified via the PGA Professional Championship in 2023 and again in 2025. He missed the cut in both those tries, but the victory at Bandon Dunes inspired fresh confidence.
“Well, this will be my third one, and the first one was in ’23, and I realized that I was a lot more comfortable last year after that one,” Droemer said. “But going into that tournament, I’m not trying to just enjoy it. I’m trying to go out and win a golf tournament. I said it last year: I’ve never played a tournament to try to lose, so I’m gonna go out and try to win a golf tournament.”
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Droemer had experience to lean on in the PGA Professional Championship. He finished second behind Tyler Collet in 2025 at PGA Golf Club in Florida, and he tied for 11th at Twin Warriors and Santa Ana Golf Club in 2023 in New Mexico.
Droemer worked for years as an assistant professional before switching to teaching full-time, and he commits long hours to combine golf instruction with his own needs to practice — such is the life of most of the contenders in the PGA Professional Championship who represented 41 PGA of America sections at Bandon Dunes.
“Sometimes I have to get to the golf course at 6:30 and practice before (giving) my 8 o’clock lesson,” Droemer said. “I have to stay until dark. But I love to compete. This is why I practice, being in situations like this. So I just have to make a lot of time for it.”
All that work in Texas, well-known for its frequently windy golf, helped prepare him for Bandon Dunes. Most people would think the toughest shots in the breeze are those up in the air, but at Bandon Dunes, it was the putting that was most difficult for most competitors. When winds exceed 20 mph, a rolling ball often breaks in unexpected ways. “Honestly, that was the hardest thing of the week, making putts,” Droemer said.
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He hired Everts, who has caddied at Bandon Dunes for seven years, to help. Evert’s experience reading putts in the breezes proved invaluable in all four rounds. Droemer had played at Bandon Dunes Golf resort in the 2011 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship and qualified for the match play portion then, so he was familiar with the resort’s typically firm and bouncy turf conditions, but he wanted all the help he could get from his caddie on the greens in this PGA Professional Championship.
“It was huge,” Droemer said. “I mean, he saved me I couldn’t even tell you how many shots, with different reads that I didn’t see. I just trusted him. I told him, ‘Just whatever you see, tell me,’ and I wouldn’t have been able to do without him. No chance.”
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Texas teaching pro takes title at PGA Professional Championship in Oregon
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