First Round MLB draft pick of the San Diego Padres Hunter Renfroe hadn’t hit a home run in over a month, but that changed quickly Friday in Omaha, and changed Oregon State’s travel plans.
The Mississippi State junior right fielder hit a pea to left field and watched it land in the bullpen for a three-run home run in the fifth inning as the Bulldogs went on to beat the No. 3 Oregon State Beavers 4-1 to advance to the Title series at the College World Series for the first time in MSU school history.
“I didn’t think it was going out right away,” Renfroe said. “I was running out of the box right away going for a double. (I) kind of hit it on the end of the bat, but was able to get enough backspin to hit it out to left field.”
The Bulldogs (51-18) will face UCLA starting Monday in best-of-three notational championship series. It’s the second straight year the CWS Finals will match the Pac-12 vs. the SEC.
Beavers left fielder Michael Conforto earlier robbed Wes Rea of an extra-base hit when he crashed into the left-field wall with a fantastic catch in the second inning.
After an RBI infield single by C.T. Bradford in the fourth, Conforto ended the inning by gunning down Rea trying to score on a fly ball into foul territory.
MSU pitcher Kendall Graveman worked 5 2/3rd’s innings and left after allowing Andy Peterson’s run-scoring single plating Max Gordon in the sixth inning.
Ross Mitchell carried the Bulldogs to the ninth before back-to-back one-out singles by Dylan Davis and Danny Hayes brought on Jonathan Holder, who needed just five pitches to get two outs and his 21st save.
Mitchell was 13-0 with a 1.31 ERA coming out of the bullpen this season. Holder was the closer with the 20 saves and 1.26 ERA.
Mississippi State actually had a little bit of everything Friday as it eliminated the Beavers (52-13.
The offense produced five straight hits in the fifth inning, highlighted by Renfroe’s three-run homer. The defense produced three double plays and seemed to step on Oregon State’s throat every time it threatened to rally.
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(Click on link below to see Game Box Score)
OSU VS MISS. STATE CWS BOX SCORE SEMIS
“We know what Title are all about at Deschutes County Title…”
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