Battled-tested Oregon State Beavers ready for ‘Bad News’ Auburn Tigers in Corvallis Super Regional

CORVALLIS — It’s laborious to fathom based mostly on what occurred final weekend within the Auburn Regional, however the Auburn Tigers entered the season missed and disrespected, extensively thought of an underdog within the mighty Southeastern Convention.

They had been picked by SEC coaches to complete final within the SEC West and second-to-last within the convention, edging out last-place Missouri by a measly two votes.

The insult sparked a season-long rallying cry dubbed “Unhealthy information” by the gamers, who break huddles and conferences by bellowing the 2 phrases day by day, a not-so-subtle reminder to opponents about what’s coming their means. The Tigers even hold a Unhealthy Information Bears jersey within the dugout and clubhouse.

In the meantime, the Oregon State Beavers, who proclaimed in January that “something in need of Omaha is a failure,” haven’t been an underdog for the reason that mid-2000s.

“It’s an expectation that we’d be right here,” Beavers coach Mitch Canham stated of the NCAA tremendous regionals. “Our expectations are excessive and we would like it for each other, we would like it for this college. It’s simply form of demanded.”

MORE: Corvallis Tremendous Regional information | Full tremendous regionals schedule

However when the third-seeded Beavers and 14th-seeded Tigers meet this weekend on the Corvallis Tremendous Regional, with a berth within the Faculty World Collection at stake, it gained’t merely be preseason expectations separating the packages. The most effective-of-three sequence will function contrasts in quite a lot of methods, from the groups’ cultures to their kinds to their strengths.

It’ll be the Northwest versus the South. The Pac-12 versus the SEC. A 3-time nationwide champion versus a program in search of its first.

The Tigers breezed by their regional in spectacular style, cruising to a stress-free sweep. The Beavers wanted additional innings to beat New Mexico State of their regional opener, misplaced on Sunday, then survived a scare in a Monday elimination matchup, rallying for a dramatic one-run victory towards Vanderbilt.

The muse for the Oregon State program was constructed on pitching and protection. The Tigers scored a whopping 51 runs of their regional, averaging 17.0 runs, 16.3 hits and three.7 house runs over three video games.

“Their offense proper now, as everybody has seen, is on fireplace,” Canham stated. “They’re getting guys on base, they’re driving them in. … In addition they take their walks. They’ve bought a giant energy hitter, he’s bought 20 homers. They’ve bought some guys that can run the bases unfold all through the lineup. There’s some robust outs. They maintain their floor within the field. And similar to we see with our guys, momentum is huge, power is huge. And while you’re on a roll, that gives a number of energy.”

A good chunk of the Tigers’ energy comes from cleanup hitter Sonny DiChiara, a switch first baseman from Samford. The SEC Co-Participant of the 12 months enters the sequence batting .397 with 20 house runs and 55 RBIs, whereas main the nation in on-base proportion (.565) and rating sixth in slugging proportion (.804). He was almost inconceivable to get out final weekend, ending 9 for 15 with two house runs, seven RBIs and eight runs scored.

When the Beavers gathered for a Wednesday afternoon apply at Goss Stadium, the gamers had not but scouted Auburn — Tuesday was a time without work for the group — however they had been nicely conscious of “Sonny D.”

“I really simply appeared up their stats final night time, simply to see what they’re like,” first baseman Garret Forrester stated. “And I do know Sonny can hit some house runs. That’s about it.”

After they lastly delve into the scouting, the Beavers will be taught that the Tigers even have a proficient leadoff hitter (Blake Rambusch) batting .353 with 12 doubles and 16 stolen bases. And a slick-fielding shortstop (Brody Moore) who earned regional MVP honors after hitting .533 with six RBIs, six runs and a homer. And a second baseman (Cole Foster) who, final week, hit two house runs in the identical inning from either side of the plate. Auburn is batting .292 as a group this season.

Oregon State options loads of offense, as nicely, however the basis of this system is — and at all times has been — constructed on pitching and protection. The Beavers’ protection has revealed a couple of warts the final two weeks, nevertheless it nonetheless stays one of many nation’s greatest, getting into the tremendous regionals ranked sixth in fielding proportion (.982) after rating first a lot of the season.

And OSU’s pitching is as distinctive as ever, rating among the many nation’s greatest in ERA (4.19, twenty fifth), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.39, fourth) and WHIP (1.28, eighth).

Simply because the Beavers have heard of “Sonny D,” the Tigers are little question acquainted with “Coop.” Oregon State ace Cooper Hjerpe, a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, is 10-2 with a 2.40 ERA and 155 strikeouts — most within the nation. The 6-foot-3 left-hander anchors a beginning trio that additionally consists of Jake Pfennigs and Jacob Kmatz and has mixed for a 22-4 document this season.

“Our employees, they’ve been unreal,” outfielder Justin Boyd stated. “I imply, they’ve had some slumps right here and there, however they’ve been unreal just about all 12 months and executed their factor. It’s laborious to hit Cooper, Pfen and Kmatz multi function weekend. After which we’ve bought a bunch of arms out of the bullpen which are able to go.”

And whereas Auburn, maybe the most well liked group within the nation, will convey a mound of momentum into Corvallis, the Beavers insist their regional adversity was really a blessing.

Because the Tigers yawned their option to the supers, outscoring Southeastern Louisiana, Florida State and UCLA 51-18, the Beavers needed to struggle and claw their option to an extra-inning win and a come-from-behind nail-biter in an elimination recreation. In consequence, they are saying, they’re extra battled examined and ready for the “Unhealthy information” coming their means.

“They didn’t actually face any adversity and we had our backs towards the wall,” Boyd stated. “So I really feel like that’s just a little little bit of a bonus for us, having that elimination recreation and going through the Pac-12 match, too. I believe it ready us for this second and we’re able to go.

“This has been our purpose since Day 1 — get to Omaha — so it’s simply one other weekend for us.”

— Joe Freeman | jfreeman@oregonian.com | 503-294-5183 | @BlazerFreeman | Subscribe to The Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the most recent information and high tales.