A 13-0 win by No. 7 Oregon State baseball (41-12-1) over Long Beach State (22-31) on Saturday, May 17, took the Beavers just seven innings, run-ruling the Dirtbags in both squads’ regular-season finale at Goss Stadium.

Saturday’s win as well as the clean sweep of the series was all but locked up for the Beavers after plating 11 runs over the first three innings, including seven crossing home plate in the third alone. Two more would score in the bottom of the sixth — a two-run tank courtesy of outfielder Easton Talt — to serve as the exclamation point to a dominant final outing by head coach Mitch Canham’s Beavers squad.

Sophomore left-hander Ethan Kleinschmit (7-3) spun six scoreless innings in the start, punching out seven and allowing just one hit while walking a pair. But on a short week and with 89 pitches already under his belt, Kleinschmit wasn’t going to finish off the game.

To record the final three outs of the final inning of the final regular-season game — and, perhaps most notably, on senior day — Canham, pitching coach Rich Dorman and the rest of the Beavers braintrust put the baseball in the hand of redshirt senior Noah Ferguson.

It was the five-year veteran’s first outing of the season.

“(Ferguson) shows up every day and I never hear him complain,” Canham said. “He wants to go out and compete. Even on those midweeks when we have an off day or no game, Ferguson is going out there and throwing live to the hitters, working on his craft and staying ready for an opportunity.”

It took all 54 games in 2025 for an opportunity to come for Ferguson. When it did, the right-hander made the most of it.

There was no save opportunity to be had, nor did Ferguson strike anyone out. But the 5-foot-10 righty from Salem, who says he’s been a Beaver since the day he was born, needed just nine pitches to generate a pair of ground balls and a fly out. Long Beach’s Armando Briseno, Matt Toomey and Connor Charpiot were retired in order for a three-up, three-down inning.

Ferguson was transparent about his 2025 experience and the (low) likelihood of another appearance in a Beavers uniform. If that was the last, he said, it was a great ride.

“Being able to come out here and (finish the game), it really meant a lot,” Ferguson said. “I’m really glad the coaches gave me the opportunity. Just being able to soak (the moment) up, that was the biggest thing when I went out there. Whatever happens, happens. I just (wanted to) go enjoy being out there. If its the last time, its the last time.”

When his final pitch was popped up by Charpiot and gloved by Ferguson’s battery mate and fellow senior, Wilson Weber, the two shared an embrace on the bump. Two of Oregon State’s longest-tenured ballplayers got to finish the season throwing to one another.

“It was nice just being able to go out there and enjoy that last little moment with (Weber),” Ferguson said. “We’ve been throwing together all year, so it was nice to throw to him there at the end (and) finish it out.”

Oregon State ends its regular season slate ranked No. 7 in D1Baseball.com’s top-25 poll and sitting at No. 6 in the RPI. The Beavers’ independent schedule means they won’t play a conference tournament or have another opportunity to boost their RPI, but Canham says his team has done enough to earn a top-8 seed — and with it, the right to host a regional and a super regional— in the NCAA tournament.

“Our humility is strong in that we don’t need to boast about everything we’ve done or what we’re capable of doing,” Canham said. “But I am the biggest advocate for (my) guys. I know the talent level that’s there and we all know what they’ve done throughout the entirety of the year.

“I’d say, try to put anyone else in this situation and see what their success is going to be like. And all these guys chose to be at Oregon State, knowing that it was going to be an independent schedule, road games, you name it. They chose to be here and it shows their passion for this place… There’s a handful of teams that deserve to host, but I know without a doubt (that) this club and this brotherhood that these guys have assembled is right there at the very front.”

The 2025 NCAA Baseball Championship selection show is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Monday, May 26.