OMAHA Neb.
Oregon State players are finding plenty of ways to pass the time away from Rosenblatt Stadium during their trip to the College World Series.
Coach Pat Casey and three players visited kids in a local hospital before Saturday’s Game 1 against North Carolina. Daniel Turpen went fishing before pitching against UC Irvine and sending the Beavers into the CWS finals.
Casey has said he doesn’t care what players do with their free time as long as they’re ready to play come game time.
Darwin Barney who prefers relaxing with video games said that confidence has allowed the Beavers to be more free-swinging and worry less about each at-bat.
“It’s easy to get caught up in it,” Barney said, “so I really take a second to just enjoy the atmosphere and just enjoy the camaraderie that’s going.”
Barney said that the team’s outlook hasn’t changed much since coming to Omaha.
“We’re so comfortable right now, the guys that haven’t before can just feed on those of us that have been here,” Barney said. “You learn how to stay loose.”
Lonnie Lechelt said it’s much simpler: “You always have fun when you’re winning.”
WAITING TO CHEER: Many fans tailgated, traveled or shopped in the final hours before Game 2 of the CWS finals, but not the few thousand with general admission tickets.
The tickets, sold in booklets of ten or individually on game days, grant general entry into any CWS game, including the finals.
Fans on Sunday spent hours in long, winding lines around the stadium, waiting to claim a seat when gates opened two hours in advance.
– Associated Press
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