A year ago in Eugene, Oregon, Aiden May tapped his glove, skipped off the mound and screamed toward the Ducks’ dugout.
Oregon head coach Mark Wasikowski called for a foreign substance check on the Oregon State ace. May responded with eight shutout innings, 14 strikeouts and just one hit allowed — with plenty of pointed celebrations.
The emotions never left and will, once again, be front and center Friday night when No. 3 Oregon State visits No. 13 Oregon for a three-game series at PK Park. First pitch is set for 8:05 p.m. ET.
This year’s series carries more than just bragging rights. Oregon State (32-7) is fighting for a top-eight national seed whileOregon (27-12) is trying to claw back into the regional hosting conversation. RPI, postseason positioning, pride — it’s all on the line.
The Beavers enter with the nation’s longest active winning streak at 12 games. They swept five games last week, battering Cal State Northridge and Gonzaga behind one of the country’s hottest offenses. Gavin Turley became the program’s career home run leader and continues to climb the RBI leaderboard, now chasing Michael Conforto’s school record.
Shortstop Aiva Arquette, who has surged into No. 1 overall MLB draft pick conversations, leads the way. Arquette is hitting .481 over the winning streak with eight home runs, 25 RBIs and 21 runs scored.
Oregon counters with a dangerous offense of its own, though. The Ducks rank top-20 nationally in home runs and slugging percentage and have scored double-digit runs 14 times this season. Mason Neville, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Week, anchors the lineup with 19 homers, a .336 batting average and 43 RBIs.
But the Ducks’ pitching has been inconsistent. Friday night starter Grayson Grinsell (6-1, 3.02 ERA) has been a bright spot, coming off a complete-game win against UCLA. Still, Oregon’s bullpen has blown multiple late leads this month, including two against Portland.
In Friday’s opener, Grinsell will face Oregon State left-hander Nelson Keljo (2-1, 3.75 ERA). Saturday’s matchup will likely pit Beavers’ right-hander Dax Whitney (3-2, 4.10) against Ducks’ right-hander Collin Clarke (2-2, 4.37). Sunday is scheduled for Oregon State’s Ethan Kleinschmit (6-1, 3.74) against Oregon’s Jason Reitz (1-0, 4.33).
Oregon State holds a 198-171 all-time edge in the rivalry, dating back to 1938. Since Oregon resurrected its baseball program in 2009, the Beavers have gone 49-27 against the Ducks. Oregon, however, won the final two meetings last season and brings a two-game winning streak into the weekend.
A series win would likely solidify Oregon State’s spot among the top eight national seeds, earning home-field advantage through the super regionals. For Oregon, currently No. 51 in RPI, a strong finish could push the Ducks back into hosting consideration.
Beyond the standings, the tension between the two programs promises a fiery weekend. The games themselves may determine seeding — but the rivalry needs no extra fuel.
As former Oregon State standout Wade Meckler once put it:
