When Oregon State center fielder Easton Talt approached the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning, with two outs, he had a regional legacy on the line.

Not just Regional, as in the NCAA postseason first round in Eugene, but regional, as in the renewed rivalry between the Beavers and the Ducks. Oregon State beat another in Washington State earlier in the day to reach Sunday night’s game, but Talt’s at-bat would describe this year’s story of an in-state baseball rivalry.

The Ducks and Beavers battled to a 1-1 record in their regular season series before the final game was canceled. When Oregon State was assigned to the Eugene Regional, the Oregon team watching at PK Park exploded in cheers. The rivals, separated by conference realignment and reunited by shared intent, would meet once more in 2026, in the NCAA postseason for the first time in their shared history.

Talt is three for four on the day when Oregon closer Devin Bell delivers his final pitch. With the game — and a berth in the Super Regionals — on the line, he hits a ground ball into the glove of Oregon first baseman Brayden Jaksa. 

The freshman, one of three who defined the Ducks’ charge to a home Regional, steps on the bag for the final out, and for the first time since 2024, Oregon baseball is Super.

“This team is a very special team,” Oregon head coach Mark Wasikowski said postgame. “The team we played tonight is an outstanding program, as we all know, and we have respect for that. I think this locker room is really special to embrace the hardest path, not wanting an easier opponent or a different scenario or whatever, but literally wanting the toughest road possible.”

After splitting the regular season series this year, Oregon and Oregon State had a score to settle. A strong start from Miles Gosztola (6.0 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 8 K) and quality at-bats up and down the lineup secured the win for No. 15 Oregon over rival No. 8 Oregon State. The Ducks will face No. 6 Texas in the Super Regional next week.

Before the game even started, the fans of both teams began to get involved by trying to drown out the other with louder chants. The home-field advantage only applied to the fans, as the Ducks played as the away team in their own ballpark for the second day in a row.

Oregon got off to a rocky start with back-to-back pop flies from Ryan Cooney and Angel Laya to lead off the game. Gosztola didn’t fare much better initially after center fielder Easton Talt dropped a bunt single through the right side of the mound in the leadoff spot, but stranded two with a strikeout of Josh Proctor.

A leadoff single and a walk to shortstop Tyler Inge put runners on first and second with two outs before second baseman AJ Singer sent Haight home on an RBI single to take an early 1-0 lead. Inge attempted to steal home after Singer got Burke-Lee Mabeus to attempt to pick him off, but Cooney threw the ball back home to make the final out.

Jack Brooks slashed the first hit for Oregon in the top of the third with a single through the left side of the infield with one out. With two outs, Laya singled the other way before Smith brought Brooks home with an RBI single to right field. Laya tried to go from first to third base on the hit, but was thrown out to end the frame. 

“I was basically just doing my job,” Brooks said postgame. “I’ve got teammates around me, like Drew Smith, who hit me home. But I’m just doing my job to get on base.”

Gosztola found his groove in the bottom half of the third, striking out the side in order, all swinging. OSU starter Wyatt Queen had similar success in the top half of the fourth, striking out the side in order, with the first two batters striking out swinging.

The two were seemingly gridlocked at 1-1 through six innings of play, with Oregon unable to get a hit on OSU reliever Isaac Yeager, who was topping out at 96 mph on his fastball. Yeager has been one of the Beavers’ best pitchers out of the bullpen all year, boasting a 1.38 ERA. For the Ducks, Gosztola continued to shove deeper into one of his longest outings of the season after recording his eighth strikeout of the game to close out the sixth inning.

After Mabeus drew a lead-off walk in the seventh, Molony hit a ball up the middle for a single to put two on with one out. Gimenez drew a walk following a full count and loaded up the bases, which prompted OSU to bring out another strong arm from the pen, Albert Roblez. 

The change proved costly. Roblez walked home  Brooks and Cooney to give Oregon a two-run lead. Laya reached on an RBI fielder’s choice, and the inning ended shortly after when Smith struck out swinging.

“I relied on our coaches more than anything. They kind of drove our game plan for what we’re gonna do for that at-bat,” Brooks said. “I give all the credit to the guys in front of me for doing their job.”

Luke Morgan took over for Gosztola following the three-run frame and started his night off strong with back-to-back strikeouts looking. Talt hit a double to right field with two outs, but Morgan killed any hope of sending him home after getting his third strikeout looking.

Roblez continued to look lost on the mound after throwing three straight balls before Brayden Jaksa hit a bouncing infield single right over third base to start the inning. After Jaksa advanced to second on a groundout, Roblez stepped off the mound and walked to the dugout with his head hanging low as MVP chants from the Oregon student section rang out. Zach Edwards took the mound and picked off Jaksa shortly after on a botched fake steal attempt. 

Oregon head coach Mark Wasikowski made his second call to the bullpen for Tanner Bradley in the bottom of the eighth. With one out, Vasquez doubled down the right field line before Bradley responded with a strikeout. A hit by pitch put runners at first and second with two outs, but a swinging strikeout pulled Oregon out of the jam.

After a quiet top half of the inning, Bell came in to close out the game. Jaksa secured the first out on a hard-hit groundout to first before Bell struck out one. Jaksa was called on again to make the final out and secure the win for the Ducks.

The Ducks will head to the Austin Super Regional next week, where they’ll face sixth-seeded Texas for a spot in the College World Series.