Beaver Baseball Tops UC Irvine in Series Opener

Oregon State ace Dax Whitney shines with 11 strikeouts in 5-1 victory.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 5:34pm

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Oregon State's baseball team bounced back from an earlier loss with a 5-1 win over UC Irvine on Friday. Ace starter Dax Whitney led the way, striking out 11 batters and moving his record to 4-0 on the season. Outfielder Adam Haight had a career-best four hits and one RBI to pace the Beavers' offense.

Why it matters

The win helps Oregon State recover from a midweek loss and get back on track in the early part of the season. The Beavers are looking to build on last year's success and make another run at the College World Series, and this victory over a quality opponent like UC Irvine is an important step in that direction.

The details

Whitney was dominant on the mound, striking out 11 batters over the course of the game. Relievers Wyat Queen and Isaac Yeager also contributed strong outings, combining for seven more strikeouts. Offensively, Haight led the way with four hits, including an RBI double in the fifth inning that scored the Beavers' second run. Oregon State broke the game open in the sixth inning, scoring three runs to take a 5-1 lead.

  • The game was played on Friday, March 21, 2026.
  • Oregon State had dropped a contest earlier in the week at Portland.

The players

Dax Whitney

The ace starting pitcher for Oregon State, who moved his record to 4-0 on the season with 11 strikeouts in the win.

Adam Haight

The Oregon State outfielder who had a career-best four hits, including an RBI double, to pace the Beavers' offense.

Wyat Queen

The Oregon State relief pitcher who earned his first save of the season, striking out four batters.

Isaac Yeager

The Oregon State relief pitcher who contributed four strikeouts in a brief outing.

Zach Fjelstad

The UC Irvine player who drove in the Anteaters' only run of the game with a double.

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What’s next

The series between Oregon State and UC Irvine will continue on Saturday at 1 p.m. PT, with the game being broadcast on ESPN+.

The takeaway

Oregon State's dominant pitching performance and timely hitting helped the Beavers bounce back from an earlier loss and get off to a strong start in their series against UC Irvine. The team's ability to regroup and win convincingly against a quality opponent bodes well for their chances of making another deep postseason run.