CORVALLIS — Andrew Moore was an instant success story during his freshman season at Oregon State two years ago.

The right-handed pitcher found himself thrust into the starting rotation almost from the start of the season.

All the Eugene native did was go 14-2 with a mind-boggling 1.79 ERA as the usual Saturday starter — between lefties Matt Boyd and Ben Wetzler — and helped the Beavers reach the College World Series.

Moore found himself in a similar role as the Saturday starter last season between Wetzler and Jace Fry — both drafted in the first nine rounds of the Major League Baseball draft last June — but he had far different results.

His mechanics got out of whack a bit and he struggled at times to find his change-up and curveball. He also let other aspects of the game creep into his thoughts and said there were times he felt he had to be “too perfect.”

Now the unquestioned leader of the Beavers’ starting rotation, Moore’s attitude has changed. No longer does he let such things as a lack of run support, the defense behind him or how the umpires call the game cloud his approach.

Instead, he has made a commitment to locking himself into a routine and not deviating from it, no matter what happens.

“I think that’s been huge whether I’ve had a good start or bad start, sticking to the plan and sticking to the process and really just trying to be as good as I can at that,” Moore said Wednesday.

The Beavers (25-12, 8-7) and Trojans (29-10, 10-5) open the three-game series at 5:35 p.m. today with Moore expected to take the mound for OSU.

His approach has been simple.

“I just need to go out there and pitch as well as I can for as long as I can and keep my team in the ballgame,” he said.

Mission accomplished, and then some so far.

Moore, who was one of 46 players named to the initial watch list for the National Pitcher of the Year award on Thursday, will bring a 4-1 record and 1.40 ERA into today’s matchup with the Trojans.

The record may not be as impressive as it could be — he has five no-decisions, and he has allowed more than one earned run in just one of those.

“He’s lights out,” said freshman starter Drew Rasmussen, who has found a home as Oregon State’s Saturday starter. “He goes out every weekend and gives us eight innings, at least, and it’s really great. It helps save the bullpen and then they can be used later in the weekend when we need them to shut other teams down.

“(He) sets a tone for the entire team when you see him go out there and compete like he does. You’re just waiting for your turn.”

Another difference is that Moore has worked hard to develop his change-up and has had good fastball command.

Moore has worked on throwing his fastball inside, when most batters are used to seeing fastballs away.

Rasmussen said he feeds off Moore’s competitiveness, and that has helped him to a strong start.

The fellow righty will take a 4-3 record and 2.45 ERA into Saturday’s 1:35 p.m. game with the Trojans.

Travis Eckert, another righty, has taken hold of the Sunday job for the Beavers and has a 4-0 record and 3.81 ERA heading into the series finale at 1:05 p.m. Sunday.

Together, those three have proven to be a handful in the Pac-12, much like the staffs of the past few years.

That is gratifying for Moore.

“I could go up and the down the whole staff and you’ve seen improvement with all these guys throughout the season,” he said. “Just like we thought there would. Everyone’s had their little hiccups, but they’ve all responded well and kept working. … I think the biggest thing with this group is we haven’t let the failure get us down too much.”

Rasmussen says it all goes back to the tone Moore sets each time he takes the hill, as well as in practice.

“You see what he’s done and you want to one-up him every single weekend,” Rasmussen said. “It doesn’t always happen that way, but when you have something to strive for it makes it a little bit easier, a little bit better.”

For all the accolades Moore has on his resume, Rasmussen has something Moore does not — a perfect game.

“I’m trying, I’m trying,” Moore said with a laugh. “It’s not easy.”

Pitching in the Pac-12 is not easy either, but with a 3-0 record and 0.68 ERA in conference games, Moore has been making it look that way so far this season.

And that has given the Beavers as a whole a lift.

“For him to just dominate all the time, every day, you are going to watch it and you are going to want to emulate him,” shortstop Trever Morrison said. “I think guys are just feeding off that.”