The NCAA baseball tournament regionals are starting today in Eugene. College ball has a solid following in other parts of the country, but outside of Corvallis, it lacks that same juice in the Pacific Northwest. The Eugene regional could be an opportunity to change that. This field is led by three PNW teams, including both flagship Oregon schools. The third in the trio is Washington State, and Yale rounds out the group. Collegiate baseball is a mix of some of the best and funniest moments, thanks to the sport’s difficulty. The We Are Bethel Celebration might be the muse this week, but some teams are fighting for a chance to play in the College World Series also. This article will preview the three local squads in action.
Oregon
While Oregon State is usually the frontrunner in the state, the Ducks enter this tournament as the No. 11 seed in the nation and are considered the top team in this group.
UO’s reliant on their power, they led the Big Ten with 100 long balls. They also fared toward the top third of their conference with a team batting average of .284
The pitching staff is also coming in hot.
Oregon only allowed 2.3 runs per game at the Big Ten Tournament, and more than half of these came in garbage time in a blowout victory against Washington. They also played well against USC in the final series of the regular season.
The projected starters for the regionals should prove sophomore righty Will Sanford, junior southpaw Miles Gosztola, and righty Cal Scolari if they get a third game.
Sanford’s ready for the opportunity, stating, “We’re hungry, and I just can’t wait to go.”
Senior third baseman Drew Smith approaches it differently, saying, “Really just enjoying the time with the guys because it could be over really quickly.” This is Smith’s fourth regional.
The Ducks faithful would love to see their team finally break through. This is Oregon’s 11th regional trip since they were reinstated in 2009, and they’ve qualified for the super regionals three times.
They haven’t made the College World Series since 1954.
Oregon State
The Beavers are in a unique spot. They finished with a better record than their “OG” rival, but the Big Ten schedule is more prominent than an independent one.
OSU opens up the regionals against WSU, which could prove a tricky matchup. Nick Lewis is the probable starter for the Cougars; he’s the Mountain West Pitcher of the Year.
The Beavs are the better team, but they’ve lacked consistency at the plate. Their batting average is .271, which is 197th in the nation. They’re averaging 6.7 runs per contest, which is just ok considering their level of competition.
They’ll also hope for improved consistency throughout their lineup.
Oregon State’s outfielder and leadoff hitter, Easton Talt, is entering the regionals 0-for-his-last-12. And three other notable Beavs are struggling to find their stroke.
Head Coach Mitch Canham is unfazed, though, stating, “There’s always noise.”
OSU has a few players in the groove, though. Third baseman Paul Vazquez, outfielder Josh Proctor, and shortstop Tyler Inge are swinging a hot bat entering this tournament.
Ethan Kleinschmit’s also a solid option at any time. Kleinschmit posted a 9-2 record with a 3.91 ERA and was named to the All-America third team in 2025. He’ll likely prove the guy in the opener.
The Beavs split their series with the Cougs this year, pulverizing them 18-0 in the first contest, but losing the following day 7-6.
The Beavers are looking to advance to their third straight super regional, but know it’ll prove tough in Eugene. Oregon State has not advanced through this round as a visiting team in nearly twenty years.
Washington State
WSU came out of nowhere. Washington State won six straight series to end the year and capped it off by defeating San Diego State in the Mountain West title game.
The key to the Cougars’ success is their returning production from last year’s team. Even though the Cougs struggled a year ago, finishing 18-36. They returned their seven best hitters by batting average, their three best pitchers, and a majority of their bullpen.
This experience proved vital in their late-season run.
Their best player is probably outfielder Max Hartman. Hartman could’ve been drafted a year ago if he hadn’t suffered an injury. He’s hitting .366 with eight triples.
Other key players include Gavin Roy and Ryan Skjonsby. Roy leads the team with a batting average of .372, while Skjonsby leads the team with eight tanks.
The aforementioned Lewis enters this contest with a 3.07 ERA, 65 strikeouts, and 27 walks. It’ll be interesting to see how he performs against elite competition.
Even though the Cougs are an underdog to advance to the super regionals, their Manager, Nathan Choate, is battle-tested; he almost won a regional as head man at Loyola Marymount in 2019.
Win or lose, Choate seems to understand that his team needs to relish the moment. He emphasized the importance of this in a recent interview, stating, “They’ve earned the right to play meaningful games late into the season.”
Unlike the Oregon schools, Washington State has already won.
Conclusion
Oregon and Oregon State are the frontrunners of this group, and one of these squads will likely advance to the next round. The Ducks are hoping to take their program to new heights, while the Beavers are looking for another National Championship. Washington State and Yale each add their own flair, making PK Park a dope spot to hang this weekend. Games take place Friday through Sunday or Monday night.
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