Winning Pac-12 pitcher of the week might faze some players. Instead, Matt Boyd responded with the performance of his collegiate career.
The senior left-hander threw his first complete game for Oregon State and struck out a career-high 11 batters as Arizona State dropped the first of three games 5-0 in Corvallis, Ore.
After allowing leadoff hitter Drew Stankiewicz to single in the first inning, Boyd (5-0) retired 12 straight and completed the one-hitter, walking just two in the process. Stankiewicz was the only Sun Devil to reach second base after stealing the bag. The game marked the first time ASU was one-hit since the 1983 College World Series.
ASU junior right hander Trevor Williams (3-2) gave up three earned runs on 109 pitches, striking out six in five innings of work.
The Beavers scored early and often, plating one runner in each of the first three innings.
Sophomore outfielder Dylan Davis drove home senior outfielder Ryan Barnes, who doubled to lead off the inning, in the bottom half of the first to give his squad the 1-0 advantage.
Oregon State then added another in the second frame when junior catcher Jake Rodriguez doubled home junior infielder Kavin Keyes. Sophomore outfielder Michael Conforto increased the deficit in the third, scoring on a fielding error by Sun Devil first baseman David Graybill. Barnes scored in the fifth on a sacrifice fly off the bat of sophomore outfielder Dylan Davis, giving his Beavers the 4-0 advantage.
A positive to take away from the night? Sophomore right-hander Darin Gillies in relief. Gillies took over for senior left hander Matt Dunbar in the top of the seventh and pitched two scoreless innings, retiring the side in order in both innings of work. Gillies entered the evening with a team-high 22.85 ERA but pitched well against a more than capable Oregon State team.
Dunbar looked shaky in one inning of work, giving up one earned run off two hits in the sixth.
The Sun Devils fall to 12-6-1 overall and 1-3 in conference. Freshman southpaw Ryan Kellogg takes the mound tomorrow afternoon as the Sun Devils look for redemption, with first pitch scheduled for 2:05 pm.
