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Beavers do it again

Oregon State players celebrate after winning their second straight College World Series. Associated Press (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press The Spokesman-Review
Oregon State players celebrate after winning their second straight College World Series. Associated Press (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

OMAHA, Neb. – Oregon State became the first team in a decade to repeat as College World Series champion, completing a dominant run through the tournament with a 9-3 victory over North Carolina on Sunday night.

The Beavers (49-18) won all five of their CWS games, including a sweep of the Tar Heels in the best-of-three finals, and trailed for only one of 45 innings they played in Omaha.

North Carolina was runner-up for the second straight year. Oregon State is the first back-to-back champion since LSU in 1996-97 and the fifth overall.

Darwin Barney’s two-run homer gave the Beavers the lead in the second inning of the decisive game. Jordan Lennerton hit his second homer in two nights, a two-run shot in the eighth.

Mark Grbavac and Joe Paterson combined to retire the last seven North Carolina batters. Paterson got a called third strike against pinch-hitter Kyle Shelton to end the game.

“It’s crazy. It’s just crazy,” Oregon State coach Pat Casey said. “I just felt like we were going to win. There is something in that dugout.”

The Beavers, who were nearly left out of the 64-team national tournament field after struggling in the Pacific-10 Conference, finished the season with 10 straight wins.