We hereby deliver a whole dugout full of ROSES to the Oregon State baseball team, which this weekend plays Michigan in an NCAA Super Regional at Goss Stadium. If the Beavers win the best-of-3 series, they'll earn their third consecutive berth in the College World Series at Omaha, and continue the legacy of post-season excellence they started in 2005 and cemented last June with their stirring run to the 2006 NCAA championship.

The Beavers won six elimination games en route to that 2006 crown. Much of that team departed, but a new cast of Beavers exhibited that same grit, poise and determination earlier this week in their charge to the title at the Charlottesville, Va., Regional.

After a heartbreaking, 13-inning loss to the host University of Virginia, the Beavers won three games in less than 24 hours to eliminate both Rutgers and the Cavaliers from championship contention.

Roses as well to the visiting Wolverines, who stunned the college baseball world by defeating Vanderbilt two times in three tries to eliminate the No. 1 national seed at the Nashville Regional. Had the Commodores prevailed, the Beavers would be playing in Tennessee this weekend, not in the friendly confines of Goss Stadium. Michigan's success gave Beaver Nation one more weekend of college baseball to savor.

So thanks, Wolverines, and enjoy your stay in Corvallis. But forgive us for hoping it's our team staging a celebratory dogpile on the mound come Sunday or Monday afternoon.

• RASPBERRIES to a bit of premature pessimism that sent the facilities folks at Goss Stadium scrambling. It seems that the Beavers' "perfect storm" turnaround to stay alive in the tournament was so unlikely that first-base and right-field temporary bleachers were removed and taken to Portland for the Rose Festival Parade.

Facilities director John Cheney said the first-base section will be back in place for the game but they'll be scrambling to find alterative seating in right field for what likely will be a sell-out crowd.

We all were stunned by the victory, so this is a problem that we hope the stadium crew finds as a welcome challenge. This kind of problem, we like.

And speaking of good sports:

• ROSES to Danny Langsdorf, who not only qualifies for roses but for a spot as "World's Nicest Guy" as well.

Langsdorf, 34, who is the offensive coordinator for the OSU Beavers football team, donated one of his kidneys to his boss' wife. Laurie Cavanaugh, the wife of OSU offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh, suffered from kidney disease that left her kidneys more than twice the healthy size.

Langsdorf was one of 18 people who was tested to see if he could be a donor so that Lauri Cavanaugh would not have to wait for a suitable donor kidney - a process that could take years.

After a six-hour operation Tuesday at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, it appears that the donated kidney is functioning well.

We've always known that OSU has real team spirit. We just didn't know all the ways they show it.

We wish both patients a swift recovery, good health and long life.

• ROSE-RASPBERRIES to the complex way that people deal with one of the most defenseless of creatures: cats.

The raspberries - and far stronger condemnation - goes to the perennial animal abusers who burden the good people at Heartland Humane Society, Chintimini Wildlife Refuge and other animal shelters, aid organizations and hospitals with an overwhelming amount of work to do and expenses to meet.

For example, what evil lurked in the heart of whoever threw a kitten from a freeway overpass in Portland recently? Miraculously, the kitten was not seriously injured, and has been rescued.

ROSES go to all of the people who either adopt, fostering or care for cats during June, which is "Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat" month, which coincides with "kitten season."

Even if you aren't in a position to adopt a cat (or another shelter pet, for that matter) consider volunteering or fostering or simply donating food.

It's all needed and appreciated.

• RASPBERRIES to the synergy of jail crowding, internal security concerns and the lack of gumption that prompted jail officials to release tiresome, tireless party heiress Paris Hilton three days into her 23-day sentence for probation violation linked to her drunken and reckless driving.

We are not sympathetic to the annoying and vapid Ms. Hilton, who apparently was released because she wasn't eating and didn't feel well in jail.

Poor her.

By sentencing her to 43 days of monitored house arrest, the jail gets out of the hassle of having her around. After all, employees might have been tempted by the $50,000-and-up tabloid bounty for a photo of her in her orange jail outfit.

We don't really care about Hilton. We do care about equal justice. This wasn't it.

ROSE (roz) n. One of the most beautiful of all flowers, a symbol of fragrance and loveliness. Often given as a sign of appreciation.

RASPBERRY (raz'ber'e) n. A sharp, scornful comment, criticism or rebuke; a derisive, splatting noise, often called the Bronx cheer.