CORVALLIS, Ore. – Justin Boyd delivered a two-out RBI-single into right field to chase home Wade Meckler and the game-winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning as No. 3 Oregon State (20-6, 7-4 Pac-12) walked off with a 3-2 victory over Stanford (13-9, 5-6 Pac-12) on Saturday to even a three-game Pac-12 series being played at Goss Stadium.
Meckler, who finished 3 for 5, doubled one play earlier to set the table for Boyd's heroics.
Sophomore Joey Dixon was charged with the loss after allowing the one run on two hits while recording two outs. Dixon dropped to 2-2 on the season.
Dixon was the last of six pitchers used by the Cardinal, including freshman Ty Uber as the Saturday starter. Uber surrendered two runs and struck out a career-high tying five over four innings of work in a no decision.
Tommy O'Rourke preceded Dixon out of the bullpen, striking out three and logging 3 1/3 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit.
Ryan Brown was credited with the victory and moved to 3-0 on the season after contributing the final two scoreless innings of relief for Oregon State.
For the second consecutive game, nine innings proved not enough to decide a contest between the Cardinal and Beavers. Oregon State got on the board first with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth, but Stanford answered right back with two of its own in the top of the fifth.
Adam Crampton led off the fifth with a walk before Brock Jones doubled to push runners to second and third. Joe Lomuscio contributed the sacrifice fly on the ensuing play, and sophomore Carter Graham tied the game with a single into left-center field.
After stranding a pair of baserunners in the top of the 10th, Stanford had another golden opportunity to take the lead in the 11th. Kody Huff, who finished 2 for 5, and Braden Montgomery each contributed one-out singles to put runners at the corners, but pinch hitter Alberto Rios' soft liner toward centerfield on the 10th pitch of his at bat was snagged by OSU second baseman Travis Bazzana for the second out. Brown escaped the jam on the very next play, inducing a ground ball to second base to retire the side.
Both teams finished the game with nine hits and four walks. Stanford, which struck out 21 times on Friday night, struck out 14 times on Saturday. Cardinal pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts as both pitching staffs worked effectively for the second consecutive game.
The Cardinal and Beavers will decide the series on Sunday at noon.