Box Score CORVALLIS, Ore. – The ACU Wildcats closed out a disappointing 2017 season with a good-but-not-enough effort Sunday afternoon as they dropped a 4-2 decision to No. 1 Oregon State at Goss Stadium.
The loss – ACU's second well-played game against the nation's top team – drops the Wildcats to a final record of 13-43, while the Beavers improve to 49-4. Oregon State will find out Monday morning if it will be the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament when it begins next weekend. At worst, the Beavers will host one of eight regionals as the No. 1 seed and then see what happens after that.
The Beavers scored all four of their runs in the first three innings against starting pitcher
Nick Skeffington, who left after 2 2/3 innings, taking the loss to fall to 1-6 after giving up four runs (two earned) on five hits and six walks. Andy Atwood had two of the four RBI with a bases-loaded walk and a solo home run.
Skeffington was replaced by freshman right-hander
Jonah Smith, who was terrific in his final outing of the season. he went 4 1/3 innings and allowed just two hits and one walk while recording one strikeout.
Keaton Brewer struck out the side in the bottom of the eighth to keep the game at 4-2 going to the ninth.
ACU got one run in the fourth on an RBI double by
Bradley Lewis and another run in the seventh on an RBI groundout by
Cole Solomon to cut the Beavers' lead to 4-2, giving ACU a chance in the top of the ninth.
In the ninth, Lewis walked with one out and went to second on a single up the middle by
Hillin Warren. But
Mark Pearson flew out to right field for the second out and
Aaron Draper struck out looking on a fusty by Jake Mulholland to end the game. Mulholland pitched two scoreless innings to earn his sixth save of the season.
