CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — Brian Duroff drove in three runs with a seventh-inning homer and Daniel Guevara Castro struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth as Saint Mary’s sent top-seeded tournament host Oregon State to the losers’ bracket with a 6-4 victory in the nightcap of the Corvallis Regional on Friday.
No. 4 seed Saint Mary’s (36-24) will play No. 3 seed Southern California on Saturday. Oregon State (41-13-1) will play an elimination game against No. 2 seed TCU to begin the day.
The Gaels, whose only other NCAA Tournament appearance came in 2016, picked up their first tournament victory in program history.
Saint Mary’s grabbed a 3-0 lead in the first inning off Beavers starter Eric Segura (8-2), who retired just one hitter and was charged with three runs on two singles, a walk and three hit batters.
Aiva Arquette had a two-out single in the third off Gaels starter Dylan Delvecchio (7-3) and Gavin Turley followed with a homer to get Oregon State within 3-2.
Duroff gave Saint Mary’s a four-run cushion when he homered with two outs off Laif Palmer.
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