Throughout the Oregon State baseball lineup, there were more long balls, a number of multi-hit outings, and production.
Amidst the Saturday afternoon fireworks in Surprise, Arizona, there was also an incredible college debut on the mound.
First-yearThe Beavers defeated the UNLV Rebels 16-0 in seven innings at Surprise Stadium thanks to an outstanding effort from Dax Whitney, who launched his Oregon State career and solidified his reputation as the team’s future ace.
The seventh-ranked Beavers easily won their season opener on Friday after relying on an alate-game rally. They scored runs in every inning they batted, drew ten walks, and smashed fifteen hits. However, for a squad hoping to win a title, Whitney’s dominating performance was possibly the most significant in the long run.
With a combination of power and flair, Whitney dominated UNLV hitters from his first pitch to his last, throwing five scoreless innings to earn his first win. Coaches and teammates had been claiming for weeks that the Blackfoot, Idaho, kid had Big League talent, and on Saturday, the 6-foot-5 right-hander did little to quell the fervor.
He recorded eight strikeouts for the day after striking out the following batter with a 98 mph heater after fanned the first man he saw with a 97 mph fastball. It wasn’t the ideal excursion. In three of his five innings, Whitney let up a runner to reach scoring position, gave up four singles, and walked one batter, although it wasn’t that far.
He had an overwhelming fastball. He had a fantastic curveball. And he exuded composure beyond his years.
In front of an orange-clad crowd of 3,718 at Surprise Stadium—the largest college attendance in the stadium’s history—Whitney retired the first five batters he faced, the last six batters he faced, and recorded at least one strikeout in every inning. The Beavers’ offensive was relentless throughout.
As the Beavers (2-0) dominated four Rebels (1-1) pitchers, nine OSU players recorded a hit, seven drove in a run, and five had extra-base hits.
Designated hitter Tyce Peterson went 2 for 4 with a two-run homer and three runs scored, second baseman AJ Singer finished 3 for 5 with a double, four RBIs, and three runs scored, and third baseman Trent Caraway went 3 for 4 with a double.
The Beavers have scored 23 runs and hit four home runs in their previous eight offensive innings thanks to two singles and three runs from catcher Wilson Weber, a two-run double from shortstop Aiva Arquette, and two runs from Gavin Turley.
Oregon State didn’t waste much time against UNLV on Friday after waiting until the seventh to erupt. With a leadoff double and a subsequent goal via Turley’s sacrifice fly, Caraway gave Whitney an early 1-0 lead in the first half.
The Beavers batted around in the second, third, and fourth innings before putting up shaky numbers in each of the following four. Coach Mitch Canham began relieving his bench after OSU’s five-run fifth stretched the team’s advantage to double digits, and 14 position players finally saw action.
Ultimately, Oregon State achieved its biggest shutout victory since blanking Coppin State 16-0 in 2023 and its most lopsided victory since defeating the Washington Huskies 18-2 the previous season.
Next up: The Beavers’ third of four games in Surprise will take place against the Indiana Hoosiers on Sunday at 11 a.m.
503-294-5183 | @BlazerFreeman|@freemanjoe.bsky.social| Joe Freeman|[email protected]| Get the newest news and the best stories by subscribing to The Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts.
