#3 Oregon State-#20 Cal- Preview

The tough part of the schedule is upon us. After playing an easy slate in the beginning of Pac-10 play, there is no easy games left for the Bears. Oregon State, UCLA, and Stanford await our Bears. To start the murderer’s row is third ranked Oregon State.

Andrew Susac normally leads the Beavers, but an injury will likely keep him out verse the Bears

Friday: Erik Johnson (5-1, 1.94 ERA) vs. Sam Gaviglio (8-1, 2.00 ERA)

This should be one of the best pitching match-ups we see all year. A pair of aces, both who will play professionally, going out at it in a game for Pac-10 conference position. Gaviglio has been up for awards such as the Golden Spikes, while Johnson has pitched in more obscurity. That won’t matter Friday night; all that will matter is who comes out on top.

Saturday: Justin Jones (5-4, 3.32 ERA) vs. Josh Osich (6-1, 2.77 ERA)

Osich is coming off a no-hitter against the UCLA Bruins, so he certainly has momentum on his side. Jones has been his usual enigmatic self on the hill, but he’s still capable of dominating if necessary. Osich definitely has the upper hand in this match-up; the tall lefty has first round stuff.

Sunday: Dixon Anderson (4-2, 4.28 ERA) vs. Ben Wetzler (5-2, 4.12 ERA)

Wetzler may have the better stats, but Anderson has the upper hand as a seasoned pitcher who’s gone through the rigors of Pac-10 play more than once. Weztler is a freshman left hander who has shown poise and a lot of talent in his first season on the Beavers. He was once a 15th round draft pick of the Cleveland Indians out of high school.

Beaver Bats to watch: C Andrew Susac is a definite first round pick candidate and is hitting .364 with a near .500 OBP. He’s been unstoppable all year, but he’s likely out for the series. This is a huge break for the Bears. Kevin Kayes doesn’t hit for power, but he’s a good singles hitter who’s hitting .307. Parker Berberet provides power, as he’s tied for the team lead with 4 home runs. Danny Hayes is also a high quality hitter in this OSU lineup.

Prediction: OSU takes 2 out of 3, Cal keeps it competitive in every game. In the end, OSU is the better team, even if by a slim margin. This would be a solid result for the Bears.