CORVALLIS, Ore. (Interstat) — A dominant pitching performance by Xavier starter Ashton Chronister was ultimately undone by a disastrous seventh inning as the Oregon State Beavers rallied for a 7-2 victory over the Musketeers in nonconference baseball Monday evening at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field.

The game, which began in the afternoon and concluded under the lights, saw the Musketeers carry a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh behind Chronister’s brilliance. The right-hander tossed five no-hit innings, allowing no earned runs and striking out one. He exited with a two-run lead, having been supported by a solo home run from Clay Burdette in the fourth inning and an RBI sacrifice fly from Burdette in the sixth.

Connor Mendez kept Oregon State in the game with a strong start of his own. The Beavers’ top star worked four innings, allowing one earned run on one hit while striking out four. His effort allowed his offense time to solve the Xavier pitching staff.

The contest turned decisively in the bottom of the seventh. Reliever Karter Muck, who had taken over for Chronister in the sixth, issued walks to Travis Inge and Elijah Krieg to start the frame. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position for Inge, who delivered a two-run double to right-center field, tying the game at 2-2 and ending the no-hit bid.

The inning spiraled from there for Xavier. After a pitching change, Oregon State sent 13 batters to the plate. Brady Talt and Wilson Haight followed with an RBI single and a run-scoring double, respectively. A dropped third strike wild pitch allowed another run to score, and Trent Hubbard capped the seven-run outburst with an RBI single. When the inning finally ended, Oregon State had turned a 2-0 deficit into a 6-2 lead, recording five of their six total hits in the game during the rally.

The Beavers added an insurance run in the eighth on another dropped third strike wild pitch that allowed Talt to score. Xavier threatened in the ninth, putting two runners on with one out against reliever Zach Kmatz, but Jack Giordano entered and recorded the final two outs to secure the win.

Trey Morris earned the win in relief for Oregon State despite allowing one run over two innings. Muck took the loss for Xavier, charged with three earned runs in one-third of an inning. The Musketeers managed only four hits total, with Burdette’s homer accounting for their only extra-base hit.

The victory improved Oregon State’s record to 11-4, while Xavier fell to 5-11. The Beavers completed a four-game series sweep of the Musketeers, having won the previous three contests over the weekend by scores of 4-2, 7-2 and 17-2.

Oregon State’s bullpen, after Mendez’s departure, combined for five innings of three-hit, one-run ball, striking out seven. Xavier’s bullpen struggled, allowing all seven runs over the final three innings.

Xavier will travel to face Oregon for a two-game midweek series starting Tuesday. Oregon State begins a three-game series at San Diego on Friday.