CORVALLIS — In the world of sports, especially baseball, clichés reign supreme. One of the most enduring? "Until the last out, you’ve got a chance." And the Oregon State Beavers just demonstrated why that saying is etched in the hearts of fans.

On Friday, in an electrifying game against Florida State, the Beavers found themselves down to their final strike, trailing by two runs with a dwindling hope. But in classic fashion, they pulled off an astonishing 5-4 victory in extra innings, proving that in baseball, anything is possible.

Now, the question looms: Who can possibly stop these formidable Beavers?

Last week, it wasn’t Saint Mary’s that could conquer them; despite a surprising win in the series opener, the Gaels couldn’t deliver the knockout blow. Neither could USC, who learned the hard way in a crushing 23-1 aggregate score. And, on Friday, despite holding a 4-1 lead going into the bottom of the ninth, the Seminoles were unable to secure their win.

The crowd held its breath as the game slipped closer to a Beavers' defeat, especially when Wilson Weber’s double was followed by two quick outs. Did you think it was time to count them out? The faithful fans who began to leave surely did.

Yet, coach Mitch Canham remained unfazed by the adversity.

"This season has been a series of challenges, but I see nothing but excitement in our dugout," he stated. "There’s no fear here, just resilience. We’re building an instinct to rise to the occasion."

And rise they did. With pinched nerves and adrenaline pumping, pinch hitter Bryce Hubbard earned a walk, followed by Dallas Macias—who had struggled all season—whacking a crucial single that loaded the bases for Jacob Krieg.

Just when it seemed the Beavers’ hopes were dwindling, a wild pitch allowed Weber to score, reducing the deficit. With the crowd roaring, Krieg faced his final strike. But instead of succumbing to pressure, he hit a single to left field, tying the game and flipping the momentum entirely.

The Beavers, now fired up, loaded the bases again in the bottom of the 10th inning. Second baseman AJ Singer, who had nearly delivered a home run earlier, made the decisive hit—a single that sent everyone into a frenzy and sealed the game.

Canham emphasizes that the lessons learned from past challenges keep the team resilient: "These guys know they can score incredibly fast at any moment. Who, I ask you, can really beat us?"

As the Beavers gear up to face Florida State's talented ace Jamie Arnold on Saturday, it’s evident that their recent triumph has shifted the tide in their favor. If they hadn’t snatched that win from the jaws of defeat, their path to Omaha would have looked grim.

Florida State's coach, Link Jarrett, encapsulated the despair after the game: "That’s just brutal. It doesn’t get much worse than that."

Now, the Beavers stand one win away from reaching Omaha and securing their shot at glory. With two opportunities in hand, it’s clear: they only need one.