Box score
TUCSON, Ariz. – Fourth-ranked Oregon State capitalized on Michael Conforto’s three-run homer in the first inning and then relied on the arm of Matt Boyd to shut down 20th-ranked Arizona as the Beavers took the first of a three-game Pac-12 series with a 6-2 victory Friday night at Hi Corbett Field.
Oregon State (17-1, 1-0 Pac-12) jumped on Arizona (15-6, 0-1 Pac-12) with three first-inning runs off starter Konner Wade. With two on and nobody out, Conforto drove a three-run shot to the opposite field to put the Beavers on top, 3-0.
The Wildcats scratched across a run in the bottom of the second after Brandon Dixon led off with a single, stole second and later scored on a passed ball. Arizona stranded another runner at third base to end the inning.
The Beavers tacked on two more runs in the third. Conforto, who finished 3-for-5 in the game, opened with a single, and Dylan Davis followed with a single of his own. Kavin Keyes drove in Conforto with a single and Jake Rodriguez later knocked in Davis on a groundout to put the visitors up, 5-1.
Arizona quickly responded when Riley Moore drew a two-out walk and scored on Johnny Field’s double down the left field line. However, Boyd struck out Dixon to end the inning and leave Field stranded in scoring position.
Boyd (W, 4-0) was dominant the rest of the way as he retired the final 13 batters he faced. The left-hander finished with two runs allowed on two hits and a walk over seven full innings. He struck out six.
Wade (L, 2-1) battled his way into the sixth inning, but suffered the loss after yielding six runs on 12 hits and a walk. He had two strikeouts.
Arizona’s bullpen tandem of Augey Bill and Tyger Talley pitched 3.1 scoreless innings with just two hits allowed in relief of Wade.
Brandon Jackson closed the game with two scoreless innings of relief, though he pitched out of a two-out jam in the eighth. After Zach Gibbons and Moore singled, Jackson was able to get Field to fly out to center and strand two runners. Jackson worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
The two teams will be back in action on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Hi Corbett Field.
