Drew Cowley has lightning in his veins right now.
The third baseman had yet another huge day at the plate in the first game of Oregon baseball’s doubleheader against the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos Saturday. Led by a seven-inning complete game from Isaac Ayon on the mound, the Ducks won their seventh straight by a score of 4-3.
In his last start, Ayon retired the first 12 batters he faced. On Saturday, he set down the first nine. He sat at 94 mph with his fastball and utilized his breaking ball to wipe hitters away.
Tanner Smith, perhaps the hardest hustler on the team, led off the Ducks’ half of the first with an infield single. The magma hot Cowley followed with a homer, putting Oregon up 2-0 just like that.
Cowley, who appears to be playing on some sort of cheat code right now, doubled in the third, but the Ducks fell scoreless.
The Gauchos’ first baserunner reached on a throwing error by Cowley in the fourth. A double play nearly got Ayon out of trouble, but a two-run homer with two outs tied the game. Both runs were unearned as a result of Cowley’s error.
Two singles got Ayon into trouble again in the fifth. But he worked out of it by inducing a comebacker, holding the 2-2 tie.
Cowley struck yet again in the bottom of the fifth, redeeming himself for his error. After Smith singled and hustled to second on an errant throw, Cowley singled by the third baseman to put the Ducks back on top, 3-2.
Ayon settled back down, striking out a pair of Gauchos in a perfect sixth.
Oregon added a big insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Jacob Walsh led off with a double, and Anthony Hall drove him in with a single to give the Ducks a two-run lead.
Smith and Hall each had two hits in the game. They’re both waking up after slow starts to the season.
Ayon nearly finished off his complete game with no earned runs allowed. But with two outs in the seventh, a fly ball bounced off defensive replacement Bryce Boettcher’s glove and over the fence for a solo homer.
Ayon gave up a single to the next batter, prompting the PK Park crowd to hold its breath for a second. He was able to bunker down, getting the final batter to ground out and shut the door on the 4-3 win.
Ayon’s last two starts have been absolutely terrific. The seven innings were a new career high, while the seven strikeouts tied a career high.
Oregon is now 7-3 after seven straight wins. The second game of the doubleheader will begin approximately 45 minutes after the conclusion of the first.
