Oregon State gets new life in 9th to stay alive
Arkansas crying foul after title-clinching fly drops to ground
OMAHA, Neb. — Oregon State hadn’t been able to catch a break in the College World Series finals. And then the ninth inning happened Wednesday night.
Three Arkansas fielders watched a foul ball drop between them with two outs. If one of them catches the ball, the Razorbacks would have locked up the national championship. No one did. Cadyn Grenier singled in the tying run, and Trevor Larnach followed with a two-run homer into the right-field bullpen to give the Beavers the lead in a 5-3 win that forced a third and deciding third game on Thursday night.
“As soon as you see the ball drop, you know you have another life,” Grenier said. “I needed to refocus and make the most of that extra life we got. That’s a gift.”
Arkansas (48-20) turned back the Beavers (54-12-1) when they threatened in the sixth and eighth innings, and they were in position to do the same in the ninth if not for the bungled foul ball.
Zach Clayton, who pinch ran for Zak Taylor after a walk leading off the ninth, was on third base when Grenier came up to bat with the entire stadium on its feet.
On a 1-1 pitch from Matt Cronin (2-2), Grenier popped the ball high behind first base and toward the stands. There was plenty of room to make the catch, and second baseman Carson Shaddy, first baseman Jared Gates and right fielder Eric Cole converged. No one took charge and the ball hit the ground.
“I was running and didn’t hear anybody call it, and I overran it,” Shaddy said.
While the ball was in the air, Grenier said, he hoped it would flare off into the stands.
“I knew I hit it decently deep so it wasn’t going to be a routine pop foul catch,” he said. “It wasn’t.”
Added Oregon State coach Pat Casey: “We were looking for something good to happen, and needed something good to happen. Our guys never gave in.”
Cronin took a moment to compose himself, wiping his brow and adjusting his hat. His next pitch was way high and, after a foul ball, Grenier sent a drive into left field to score Clayton. Grenier pumped his fist as he ran to first and punched the air twice more when he rounded the base.
Larnach’s 19th homer of the season ramped up the celebration in the Beavers’ dugout. Kevin Abel (7-1), who pitched the eighth, gave way to closer Jake Mulholland in the ninth. The game ended when Mulholland fielded Casey Martin’s comebacker and threw to second to start a double play.
“You’ve got to move on,” said Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn, whose team had been 44-0 when leading after eight innings. “You can’t take it back. It’s over. Get your head up and start getting your mind right because it’s going to be tomorrow before you know it and we need to come out here and give ourselves a chance.”