Never say die. Not with these Ducks.
Oregon came to bat facing a 4-1 deficit in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Ducks — looking to keep their hopes for the No. 2 seed in the Pac-12 Tournament alive — needed a rally. Highlighted by a Maddox Molony two-RBI single and Bryce Boettcher’s 11th homer of the season, No. 20 Oregon ripped off a seven-run frame to take an 8-4 lead.
Oregon (36-16, 18-11 Pac-12) took its sweet time getting going, but when it did, it left no doubt as it handed Washington State (21-31, 9-20 Pac-12) a brutal 8-4 loss to mathematically end the Cougars’ season.
Washington State needed to win on Friday to keep its chances at a Pac-12 Tournament appearance alive. Instead, the Cougars sent four different pitchers to the mound in the eighth as they completely unraveled. The Ducks earned yet another Pac-12 series win — their eighth of the year.
“We were able to chip away when we really needed to at the end of that game,” Oregon head coach Mark Wasikowski said. “The grit and determination was really nice to see.”
Hats off to Grayson Grinsell — the man that kept them in it, even when the offense was stagnant.
The lefty’s final start at PK Park in 2024 got off to a dominant start. In each of his first three innings, he recorded a pair of strikeouts while working scoreless frames. Through the first four innings, the only baserunner he allowed was a leadoff hit-by-pitch to open the game.
“With the standard that we’ve set here, I guess you could say that I pitched old today,” Grinsell said. “Pitching old” has been a theme for Wasikowski’s squad this year. It’s about not letting moments get too big. In what may end up being his last start at PK Park this season, Grinsell had all the components needed to “pitch old”.
Grinsell worked three 1-2-3 frames — the second, third and fourth innings — across his quality six-inning performance — which tied his career high. He finished with 11 strikeouts — also a new career high.
The Ducks’ first run came in an unconventional method in the second. A double steal saw Chase Meggers try to swipe second. On the throw, Maddox Molony bolted home. A hesitation defensively allowed Molony to cross before Meggers was tagged out. It ended the frame, but Oregon pushed the first run of Friday’s contest across and took a lead that would hold until the fifth.
Joey Kramer recorded the Cougars’ first hit and their first run with a leadoff homer in the top of the fifth. One swing of the bat knotted the game at a run apiece. The Cougars’ hits were more-directly correlated with their runs on Friday as they had four runs on three hits compared to the Ducks’ eight runs on 11 hits.
Wazzu took its first lead of the series in the sixth on an RBI single from Logan Johnstone. Grinsell’s day would end after the frame. He finished allowing two runs on two hits with two walks across his 92 pitches (52 strikes). Despite his stellar outing, he exited the game in line for the loss.
“Really just compete,” Grinsell said of his mindset working through busy innings, “I’ve got eight defenders behind me that believe in me. Why not believe in myself?”
Oregon had work to do to protect its seeding in the Pac-12 Tournament, trailing one of the worst teams in the conference. The task grew harder as Alan Shibley drove in a pair of runs with a pinch-hit, bases-loaded single in the top of the eighth.
But the Ducks’ bats made up for it when it mattered.
A leadoff single from Drew Smith and Mason Neville wearing a pitch led to a Jacob Walsh two-RBI double. That gave way to Molony’s single — part of a two-hit night for Oregon’s shortstop — and Boettcher’s blast.
“Get my pitch and crush it,” Molony said of his mentality in his clutch at-bat.
It spoiled what was otherwise a great night for Washington State starter Connor Wilford. Entering the detrimental eighth, he had allowed just one run on six hits while fanning six and only walking one.
“Connor Wilford threw a heck of a game,” Wasikowski said. “He’s been getting deep in every game he’s had for some time now.”
What a rally.
“I just think that our guys felt like they were going to win somehow some way,” Wasikowski said.
Brock Moore and Logan Mercado worked the final three frames for the Ducks on the mound. In total, Oregon pitching recorded 15 strikeouts, while the offense only struck-out seven times.
Oregon has clinched (at worst) the No. 3 seed in the Pac-12 Tournament next week in Scottsdale, Arizona. A Ducks’ win on Saturday — coupled with an Oregon State win over Arizona — would solidify Oregon as the No. 2 seed on the final day of the regular season.
“I don’t think it’s only happened but a couple of times in the history of the Pac-12 or Pac-10 conference that the top two teams in the league don’t host a [NCAA] regional,” Wasikowski said.
That would require Oregon getting its first sweep of conference play.
The Ducks will celebrate Senior Day tomorrow at PK Park for their final home game of the regular season. Kevin Seitter (6-4, 4.95 ERA) is expected to start on the bump for Oregon. First pitch is set for 12:05 p.m.
