Oregon State walks it off in Game 1 thriller, one win from Omaha

CORVALLIS, Ore. (KTVZ) — No. 8 Oregon State is now just one win away from returning to the College World Series after a dramatic Game 1 victory over No. 9 Florida State in the Super Regionals Friday at Goss Stadium.

The Beavers were down 4–1 entering the bottom of the eighth, but what followed was nothing short of magic. Oregon State rallied in walk-off fashion, with their backs against the wall and just one strike remaining.

Down to their final out, Jacob Kreig delivered the game-tying hit that electrified the Corvallis crowd.

“Listen to the crowd and realize it's bigger than myself, and I really wanted to do it for the boys, and I just— I was trying to battle. I got a slider I can handle and I just took a swing on it,” Kreig said.

That clutch swing extended the game into extra innings, where AJ Singer stepped up with a chance to send Oregon State home with a win. He delivered.

“So my approach was to the outfield kind of moved down a little bit, so I was just looking to drive a ball either over their heads or right at them, because I know we had some speed at third. So the sac fly, got the job done — a hit got the job done,” Singer said.

Head coach Mitch Canham, who’s helped guide the Beavers to numerous postseason appearances, wasn’t surprised by his team’s resilience.

"You never give up. It is unacceptable to ever do that.”

Canham added that it’s in these high-pressure moments that his team’s belief in one another truly shines.

“I don't know, I think in the moment we get so caught up on how difficult the situation is and wondering if we can actually achieve it or not. And then there's doubt, and doubt and fear create tension and don't allow us to get the job done, you know? And more often than not, these guys find ways to get the job done. And that just tells me their confidence and their faith is so stinking strong. And those moments tend to happen more and more.”

Oregon State is chasing its first trip to Omaha since 2018, the year they won the national championship. Game 2 is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday night at Goss Stadium.