[Sports]

Beavers Win the Baseball National Championship!

Hats off to the men in Orange. Oregon State just pulled one more rabbit out of the hat to win their first national championship in any sport since 1961. Forty-five years! They faced elimination in six games, but never lost heart:

The Beavers (50-16) became the first team in College World Series history to lose twice in Omaha and win the national championship. Oregon State also is the first truly Northern-based school to win the series since Ohio State in 1966.

The victory concluded a remarkable run for the Beavers, who lost their first game in Omaha but reached the championship with four straight wins. After losing Game 1 to North Carolina, Oregon State pulled out two victories.

"I think we were picked to lose every game here," Gunderson said. "We came out and battled hard."

Nickerson, the crafty and gutsy right-hander who was selected the series' Most Outstanding Player, allowed two unearned runs and six hits in 6 2-3 innings. He came out after his 100th pitch -- getting Steed to ground out -- and received a standing ovation from the 18,565 at Rosenblatt Stadium, even from the powder blue-clad North Carolina fans.

Congrats, Beaver Nation, you've waited a loooooooooonnngg time for this one.