Top Pac-10 team, Oregon State, could be a 'handful' for baseball

When Baseball America released its annual preseason college baseball poll, the media outlet heaped heavy praise on the Pac-10, granting six spots in the top 25 to teams from the conference.

Oregon State wasn’t one of the six.

The Beavers, though, are laughing now. Having leapfrogged UCLA, Arizona State, Stanford, Oregon, California and Arizona, Oregon State is sitting pretty as the front-runner in the Pac-10 and the No. 3 team in the nation.

Four years after the second of their back-to-back national championships, the Beavers (30-8, 10-2 Pac-10) have their sights set on another postseason run as they arrive in town this weekend for a three-game tilt with UCLA (22-14, 10-5).

“They’re going to be a handful,” coach John Savage said. “They’re the best team in the conference.”

A series victory would be huge for the Bruins, who currently sit in third place, a game and a half behind the Beavers. With second-place Arizona State set for a tough weekend series against Stanford, a successful weekend for UCLA could change the landscape of the conference as the regular season hits its final month.

Oregon State hasn’t feasted on cupcake teams either; the Beavers recently won 12 out of 13, a streak that featured sweeps of Arizona State and Stanford. They are led by dynamic sophomore catcher Andrew Susac, who leads in nearly every offensive category.

UCLA, for its part, has played tough competition in its own right, including UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton and other regional powers. That should help them against a team like the Beavers.

“At this point in the season, the competition is strong if it’s a Pac-10 series or a Tuesday night game,” said freshman Zach Weiss, who has pitched in both situations. “No matter what, we have to bring our “˜A’ game.”

It will help that Bruin bats continue to adapt to the new style of baseball being played around the country. Five of UCLA’s regulars are now hitting upward of .280.

Savage also seems to have settled on a lineup that features left-handed sophomores Jeff Gelalich and Beau Amaral hitting first and second, respectively.

“Some days I’ll go up there and be aggressive, and other times I’ll go up and try to see as many pitches as I can for the other guys,” Gelalich said of his new leadoff role. “I’ve gotten comfortable up there.”

Comfort could play a role this weekend, as UCLA gets a chance to host Oregon State on its home field, where the Bruins have won nine of their last 10 contests.

They’ll need all of the advantages they can get against an Oregon State team that knows how to win.

“They’ve played tremendous baseball all season long, and we know they’re very well-coached,” Savage said. “We know it’s going to be a tremendous challenge.”