Oregon State Faces Minnesota in Round Rock Classic Finale

ROUND ROCK, Texas – No. 7 Oregon State will face Minnesota at 10 a.m. PT on Sunday as part of the Round Rock Classic, a three-team round-robin baseball event held at Dell Diamond. After beginning the classic with a win against No. 2 Virginia, the Beavers lost to Oklahoma, and now need a victory to finish the weekend on a positive note.

Oregon State’s starting pitcher Ethan Kleinschmit, a left-hander transferring from Linn-Benton Community College, will make his second career start. In his debut, he showcased impressive skills by throwing six no-hit innings against Indiana. He holds a 1-0 record with a 0.00 ERA.

In contrast, the Gophers will send Justin Thorsteinson to the mound. The left-hander previously played for OSU from 2021 to 2023, where he registered a 1-0 record in 19 games.

The Beavers are currently 5-1 this season, while Minnesota struggles with a record of 1-4. This matchup will be their 16th meeting, with Oregon State dominating the series with a 12-3 record, including 11 consecutive wins.

Oregon State has seen consistent performances from players like shortstop Aiva Arquette and third baseman Trent Caraway, both of whom have hit safely in every game so far this season. Arquette recorded a two-run home run in the loss to Oklahoma on Saturday, showcasing his offensive capabilities.

AJ Singer, another key player for the Beavers, enters the game with a five-game hitting streak and a .350 batting average. He has recorded nine RBIs this season, trailing only Jacob Krieg who has ten.

The Beavers struggled offensively in their previous games, particularly with runners in scoring position, batting only .179 (5-for-28) across two games in the Round Rock Classic. They went just 2-for-11 in such situations against Oklahoma.

Despite their record, Minnesota has kept games competitive; three of their four losses this season have been by a combined six runs, indicating they can put up a fight. The Gophers are coming off a series of close games, including a 3-2 defeat to Oklahoma and a 4-2 loss to Virginia in earlier contests.

For media coverage, the game will not be televised but can be streamed online through Peak Events, and listeners can tune into the Beaver Sports Network for live radio coverage beginning 30 minutes before the game.

Probable Starters:
Ethan Kleinschmit (OSU): 1-0, 0.00 ERA
Justin Thorsteinson (Minnesota): 0-0, 10.80 ERA

The anticipated lineup for the Beavers includes Caraway at third base, Arquette at shortstop, and Singer at second base, among others. On the other side, Gophers Coach John Anderson will rely on Parker Knoll to lead off, followed by Easton Richter and Weber Neels.

As the Beavers aim to close out the Round Rock Classic with a win, they’ll look to improve their batting average with runners in scoring position and continue their historic success against Minnesota.