It comes down to this. Civil War Series, baseball style.

This weekend the Oregon State Beavers (41-8 overall, 20-4 league) travel to Eugene to take on the Oregon Ducks (42-11, 19-5 respectively). With only a one game edge in the loss column, the Beavers need to keep their twelve game winning streak going to win the conference title. And a possible national seed for the NCAA Tournament. More on that later.

Fortunately, the Beavs took care of business last weekend down in Palo Alto, sweeping the Stanford Cardinal in a three game set. Furthermore, OSU improved to 21-5 on the road this year. If they ever needed the good fortunes of playing away from home, it will be this weekend. In the last two seasons, the home team has swept their opponent in the Civil War three game series.

It has always been the tale that teams who peak at the end of the season are the ones who usually end up as champions. Playing well in the end is where it counts. So, here we go Beavers, here we go.

Last weekend, Oregon State’s baseball team swept California in three games down in Corvallis. They followed that up with a mid-week victory over the Portland Pilots and now have an overall record of 38-8. But with just three weekend series remaining, we will all find out what our beloved Beavers are made of. Because now the road, literally and figuratively, takes on added substance.

The Kentucky Derby is this weekend and if the Oregon State Beavers baseball team was in a horse race, one could say they are in the final straightaway heading for the far turn. In their peripheral vision is a slight glimpse of the finish line. Longshot? Not likely. Destiny’s darling? Let’s hope so. Flowers, banners, trophy and last but certainly not least, the dog pile. Keeping an eye on the prize. Remember, I’m all in with these guys.

After the team struggled against the lowly Washington Huskies, any nervousness could be understood as OSU took on the USC Trojans. Luckily, the Beavers were facing the team with the worst ERA in the conference and pulled out the sweep, taking the three game set. The team hammered out 34 hits in three games. While USC committed no errors all weekend, OSU had four. Significance? Clearly Pat Casey has the squad minimizing their mistakes. Furthermore, the pitching staff only gave up three walks total in three games and held the Trojans to a total of five runs in three games. A positive template moving forward towards the postseason.

Please take your seats ladies and gentlemen. We are about to announce the winner from the category of, “Didn’t see it coming.” Or should we have said, “Should not have happened.”

Congratulations to the Oregon State Beavers baseball team. Understandably, nothing can be taken for granted in the game of baseball. Pitchers have to pitch, hitters have to hit and fielders have to field. Often the intricacies of baseball can only be defined by watching every player in action once the ball is put in to play. I get it, you never know how the ball bounces.

Yes, Oregon State’s baseball season continues to progress toward the postseason. Last weekend the Beavs swept Utah to remain on top in the Pac 12 Conference with a 10-2 record (29-6 overall). With each game, the team must believe there is no rest for the weary and remain prepared for every opponent. As the finish line gets closer, the games only get tougher no matter the record of who they are playing.

OSU and Oregon are beginning to distance themselves from the rest of the conference. The Beavers hold a one game advantage over the Ducks in the loss column and three games over UCLA (a team they have already defeated two of three games). This weekend, the Beavers travel to Washington while Oregon hosts UCLA. The Ducks-Bruins series almost is a win-win situation for OSU, considering UCLA is third in the conference. So whichever team wins there benefits the Beavs, however, UCLA winning would help more.

At the midway point of the season, the Oregon State Beavers baseball team is in a comfortable, yet cautious position of cruise control. With a pleasant 25-6 overall record, 7-2 in league play, each series takes on more importance. Having lost their last game, a non-conference tilt against arch rival Oregon, 6-3, the Beavs get back in to conference play this weekend against Utah (14-14).

Clearly winning each series is vital. But if the opportunity arises to achieve a sweep, OSU must capitalize. One game at a time however, and taking the first game on Friday is a step in the right direction. Despite the bullpen giving up three runs in the top of the ninth against the Ducks, the season stats show this department is performing well. Through 115 1/3 innings, the pen has a 1.56 ERA and holding opposing batting average to .210. In addition, relievers have converted 13 of 13 save opportunities.

What is this world coming to?

Once upon a time, a legendary football coach (Ohio State’s Woody Hayes) punched an opposing player. A national championship basketball coach threw a chair across a court and choked one of his players (Indiana’s Bob Knight). More recently, an assistant coach (Jerry Sandusky) at Penn State, under then recognized coaching legend Joe Paterno, sexually assaulted football players.

This week, Rutgers basketball coach Mike Rice, Jr. was found on videotape to shove, kick, and hurl basketballs at close range at his players, along with using gay references towards them in practice. When anger or rage takes over the competitive drive to win, the road of coaching is not easy. With each level, from grade school to college, balancing team needs with individual talent becomes increasingly difficult. Drive or greed, pick your poison. It grabs some coaches like a disease.

Well, no one said it was going to be easy.

The #2 ranked (according to BaseballAmerica.com) Oregon State Beavers are starting to make things interesting. Last weekend the Beavs took two out of three from then 20th ranked Arizona State Sun Devils. After one-hitting the Devils in the opening game for the win, the next day OSU was no-hit in a 4-0 loss. They took the finale 4-3, but gave up a whopping nine walks. Honestly, what’s up with that? A pitching staff which has been stellar to this point gave up a handful of freebies at the plate. As they say, however, winning is winning and the Beavers took care of business.

I wouldn’t say Darwin Barney and I are best friends or anything, but I did meet him once. So… Yeah, it’s kind of a big deal.

Needless to say, I horribly embarrassed myself as I tried to stammer my way through conversing with one of my favorite athletes of all time. I remember wanting to say, “It’s been a pleasure to meet you, I’m a huge fan and I really appreciate everything you’ve done in bringing Oregon State two national championships.”

I can’t remember exactly what I did end up saying so I’ll just quickly paraphrase it. I believe it went something like, “Hey it’s cool that you got drafted by the Chicago Cubs, cause you’re my favorite player and they’re my favorite Major League team, and now you get to play for them, and that’s really ironic right?”

Déjà vu (according to Wikipedia): from French, literally "already seen", is the phenomenon of having the strong sensation that an event or experience currently being experienced had been experienced in the past.

Yes, when it comes to Oregon State University’s men’s basketball, there appears to be an overwhelming sensation that we have been here before. After the Beavs closed out their year with a season ending typical ’close but so far’ performance loss to the Colorado Buffaloes, 74-68 in the Pac 12 Conference Tournament, Beaver nation again resides in bewilderment. We have been down this road enough times.