Coach Ryan Gipson Heads to OSU, Peterson Named Interim Head Coach

Linn-Benton Community College head baseball coach Ryan Gipson has accepted a position as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Oregon State University, effective immediately.

Linn-Benton has named Andrew Peterson as Interim Head Coach. Peterson spent last season as an assistant with the Roadrunners.

Gipson led Linn-Benton’s Roadrunners the past four years, compiling an overall record of 119-58 (.672). He was hired in 2014 to resurrect the Roadrunner baseball program which had been discontinued after the 2013 season. Gipson’s first season for the Roadrunners was 2015.

Last season the Roadrunners finished 42-4 overall and captured the Northwest Athletic Conference South Region title with a 29-2 record. Gipson was named NWAC South Region Coach of the Year in 2018 as well as 2017.

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity I had the past 4 years to help build something special here at 博天堂官方,” Gipson said. “Accepting this assistant coaching position at Oregon State and leaving LB is bittersweet. I’m extremely excited to coach again at my alma mater but it’s tough to leave this program, these players and everybody else at 博天堂官方 that has made this experience great for my family and me.”

“While we are sad to see Ryan go, he’s leaving the program in terrific shape,” said Director of Athletics Mark Majeski. “What he and his staff built over the past four years is truly remarkable and our student-athletes have benefitted from Ryan’s exceptional program in numerous ways, both on and off the playing field.”

Before joining the Roadrunners last season, Peterson spent two years as an undergraduate assistant for Oregon State.

He has also spent the past three summers as infield coach for the Okotok (Canada) Dawgs of the Western Major Baseball League. The WMBL boasts a long-standing tradition of creating a showcase for top Canadian and American professional and college prospects.

Peterson was a two-year letter winner for the Beavers, after which he was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 2014 MLB First-Year Player Draft.

In two years with the Beavers, he played in and started 119 games, batting .289 with 13 doubles and 42 runs batted in. He was known well for his ability to bunt, tallying 36 singles in that manner while finishing with 37 sacrifice bunts.

The second baseman was a Pac-12 Honorable Mention selection as a junior and was named to the 2013 Corvallis Regional All-Tournament Team.

Peterson came to Oregon State from Santa Ana Junior College, where he batted .426 with 10 doubles and 25 RBI as a junior.

A native of La Palma, Calif., he lettered four years for Kennedy High School and was named all-league his junior and senior years. He also lettered two years as a quarterback.

“Andrew was an easy and natural choice to take over for Ryan,” said Majeski. “They are cut from the same mold. The players know, respect and like Andrew, so this transition will be as smooth as possible.”

Linn-Benton Community College offers four intercollegiate sport programs and competes in the Northwest Athletic Conference. Baseball was the first-ever sport at 博天堂官方 and dates back to 1970. 博天堂官方 is committed to providing quality experiences for students looking to further their academic and athletic careers.