When the Oregon State Beavers gathered for their first interview session of the 2024 college baseball season, a playful disagreement broke over the subject of home runs.
The Beavers broke the program record last season by belting 89. Would they do it again this year? And if so, how many would they hit?
Gavin Turley, Mason Guerra and Jacob Kmatz looked at each other and shrugged when the questions were asked.
“I don’t know, how many did we have last year?” Guerra said, before blurting out, “A hundred.”
The triple-digit prediction elicited a hearty chuckle from Turley, who giggled through his answer.
“I’d say more,” he said, laughing. “I don’t know a number. But more.”
And it might be wayyyyy more.
The No. 7 Beavers unleashed another barrage of fireworks Sunday in Surprise, Arizona, blasting five more home runs during a 15-2 victory over the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners at the Sanderson Ford Baseball Classic.
Oregon State has slugged 14 homers in its first three games this season, a staggering pace that would shatter last season’s record. And while it seems unlikely they can keep this up, it was, at the very least, another prodigious offensive day for the Beavers (3-0).
Elijah Hainline blasted his first home run with the Beavers and Travis Bazzana and Turley each hit two homers Sunday, as OSU recorded its second runaway victory in three games. The Beavers pounded out 13 hits, including seven that went for extra bases, breaking open a tight game with 13 runs in their final two offensive innings.
Most of the damage came in the seventh, when the Beavers scored seven runs to turn a tight, 2-2 game into a 9-2 rout. Bazzana smashed a three-run homer to right field to open the scoring and, five batters later, Turley followed with a grand slam, sending a 1-0 fastball high onto the grass hill beyond center field. Both blasts were no-doubters that traveled 413 and 421 feet, respectively.
Bazzana also had a solo home run in the third and Turley added a two-run shot in eighth, when the Beavers scored six more runs to nudge them into double digits for the second time this young season.
In three games, the Beavers’ lineup has erupted for 36 runs on 39 hits, including 22 that went for extra bases, and nine different Beavers have combined to hit those 14 homers. Oregon State did not reach 14 homers until its ninth game last season.
Cal State Bakersfield (0-3) kept things close for six innings Sunday, as left-hander Kellen O’Connor, a Beaverton High School alum, allowed just two runs on four hits in a solid start. But the relentless OSU lineup eventually wore down Roadrunners pitching, scoring 13 runs on nine hits in the seventh and eighth.
Bazzana (2 for 5, four RBIs), Turley (2 for 5 six RBIs), Brady Kasper (2 for 3, triple, three RBIs) and Tanner Smith (3 for 5) had multi-hit games and eight OSU starters recorded at least one hit.
Lost in all the fireworks was a marvelous outing by the Oregon State pitching staff. Freshman right-hander Eric Segura was exceptional in his first career start, recording four strikeouts and allowing two runs on six hits over five innings. He ran into trouble in sixth, allowing back-to-back singles to open the inning, but reliever Bridger Holmes — whose stuff pitching coach Rich Dorman has called “gross” — stymied the rally by retiring the next three batters in order.
Holmes went on to pitch three scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out two, to earn his first win. Joey Mundt, who made his first appearance since the 2021 postseason, pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to end the game.
It was the Beavers’ cleanest and most complete pitching outing of the season. Segura, 6-foot-2 right-hander from Soledad, California, worked ahead in the count, tossing first-pitch strikes to 17 of 21 batters. Holmes and Mundt were dominant. And, perhaps most impressive for a staff that surrendered 12 walks during Saturday’s win over Minnesota, the trio did not allow a single walk.
Next up: The Beavers play their final game in Surprise at 9 a.m., when they face the New Mexico. OSU beat the Lobos 15-6 in Friday’s season-opener.
— Joe Freeman | jfreeman@oregonian.com | 503-294-5183 | @BlazerFreeman | Subscribe to The Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.