How did Oregon State become a baseball power of note? Well, Casey is a good coach, but that's not all of it. In a super regional game, one of the announcers sort of covered it. Mentioned when he worked for Arizona, was trying to recruit Darwin Barney, and was told by Barney he was going to Oregon State...he then said, "But this is Arizona calling", and Barney responded "That's okay coach, but I'm going to Oregon State".
Long ago, early after the turn of the century, there was a NW area baseball workshop type event put on for high school players. A batch of the better players got together, all agreeing to go to Oregon State because "we might make the college world series if we do". Jacoby Ellsbury, Darwin Barney, and others. It was this group that gave the Beavers their 2006 College World Series championship. So really, it was a group of players themselves that vaulted the Beavers into national recognition.
Ellsbury was very instrumental in this. Half native American, he grew up in Madras, Oregon, lived on the warm springs Reservation. Definitely NOT from a monied family. Got a 2006 college world series win, and in 2007 got his first world series ring, playing for the red sox. After the 2013 Red Sox series ring, a free agent, went to the Yankees. Is now married to his college sweetheart, his big league time winding down. Gee, I understand living in NY is expensive. I hope he & his bride can afford it.
Another funny aside...at that time, the University of Oregon Ducks had no baseball team, alumni Phil Knight of Nike putting his money into track and football. It really got to him that the Beavers got a national championship while the Ducks missed in football. So, Ducks baseball was born.