Oregon State Baseball Team Wins 2025 Season Opener 8-3 Over Xavier
On a sunny day in Surprise Arizona, Beavers bats came to life for 7 unanswered runs, and Oregon State began the 2025 season with a thunderous victory.
It was a game that began on the brink of disaster.
Nelson Keljo took the opening pitches of the season. In the top of the first, a walk moved Xavier's leadoff-hitter Carter Hendrickson to first base, who then advanced to second on a groundout, and reached third on a wild pitch. With two outs and runners on the corners, Keljo caught a lucky break. The next Musketeer batter lifted a pitch to centerfield, and Dallas Macias made an impressive diving catch.
Carrying a 0-0 score into the 2nd inning, Keljo woke up: the Beavers' season-opening starting pitcher secured back-to-back strikeouts, followed by a pop foul of first base snagged by Jacob Krieg.
In the bottom of the 2nd inning, Oregon State designated hitter Tyce Peterson earned a pair of firsts. With a single, he notched the Beavers first base in 2025. Then back-to-back walks sent Peterson to third base, and Trent Caraway's sacrifice fly to center drove the junior from Kirkland home for the Beavers' first run of the season.
Keljo kept Xavier off the board for 4 innings - with 5 strikeouts, 5 walks, and 0 hits allowed on 71 pitches - then his day was done. Keljo was relieved by AJ Hutcheson, but Hutcheson's stint was short. Musketeers' runners reached second & third base with 1 out in the 5th inning, and he was replaced by Eric Segura.
Xavier first baseman Connor Misch slugged a sacrifice fly to centerfield, and brought the game-tying run home. Then Segura threw a wild pitch, and the Beavers trailed 2-1.
In the 7th inning, the Musketeers' batters earned their first base hit of the game: a solo home run by right fielder Isaac Wachsmann over the head of Dallas Macias in center. The blast bumped Xavier ahead 3-1, but they wouldn't hold the lead for much longer.
In the bottom of the 7th, sophomore Trent Caraway's heroics tied the game. The Beavers' third baseman lined a single to left center, and a fielding error helped AJ Singer and Easton Talt reach home. That Xavier mistake also sent Caraway to third. Aiva Arquette was the next batter, and his first game as a Beaver featured a moonshot up the berm, 5-3 Oregon State.
In the bottom of the 8th, the Beavers erupted. Jacob Krieg slammed a dinger into the bullpen, 6-3. In the following at-bat, Wilson Weber launched one over the centerfield wall, 7-3. Then a bases-loaded walk of Beavers' slugger Gavin Turley sent AJ Singer home, 8-3 Oregon State.
In the top of the 9th, Joey Mundt retired Xavier's batters three-up and three-down.
The win lifts Oregon State to 1-0 in 2025. They play again Saturday against UNLV in Surprise Arizona. First pitch is scheduled for 11 AM on FloSports.com and the Beavers' many radio affiliates statewide. They will continue their series in Surprise Sunday (versus Indiana) and Monday (Xavier rematch).
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Matt fell in love with radio during his college days at Oregon Tech, and pursued a nine year career in sports broadcasting with Klamath Falls' and Medford's highest-rated sports radio stations. He currently lives in McMinnville wine country and is excited to talk about the Beavers again.