Sometimes, it just takes one great inning.

For the first two-thirds of Tuesday’s contest — the first of a big five-game homestand for Oregon — the energy was stagnant, and the bats weren’t doing much. But a string of hits in the seventh inning led to a seven-run frame, propelling the Ducks to an 11-4 victory over Gonzaga at PK Park. Tanner Smith, Sabin Ceballos and Drew Cowley all homered in the win.

“A lot of resiliency,” head coach Mark Wasikowski said. “Even though the arms that they threw out there were really good arms, for our guys to just continue to battle throughout the course of the game and then eventually get to them late was really, really good.”

The Ducks played a fairly sloppy first couple innings with Jackson Pace on the mound. Third baseman Ceballos made an error on the second batter of the game, and a popup to left dropped in the middle of three Oregon fielders for a “double.” Ceballos redeemed himself, though, with an athletic snag to end the frame.

“I was really mad about it at the beginning,” Ceballos said. “I was just telling Jackson, ‘Hey, give me another one. I’m gonna be ready for it.’ And he just did his job on the pitching side.”

Pace was shakier in the second inning though, as he walked the first batter. The runner came around to score after a pair of groundouts and a passed ball that clanked off Bennett Thompson’s glove.

Gonzaga starter Ty Buckner came into the day with an abysmal strikeout-to-walk ratio of 18-20 in 18 2/3 innings. Yet he nearly threw an immaculate first inning, firing his first seven pitches for strikes before setting Cowley down on a groundout.

But Smith ran into one in the second inning, sending it the opposite way for a solo homer to tie the game at one apiece. It was his eighth of the year.

After allowing a double and a single, Pace turned an impressive pickoff at first base for the second out. But he gave up a hit to the next batter anyway, as Gonzaga retook a one-run lead.

Buckner, meanwhile, retired the last seven Ducks he faced as he completed four strong innings. He lowered his ERA from 8.68 to 7.54.

“He looked fantastic, with three pitches for strikes,” Wasikowski said. “Every guy that they threw out there today was working in the low-to-mid 90s.”

The Bulldogs added another in the fifth inning on a home run by Cade McGee. Pace’s evening ended there, allowing three runs in five innings while walking one and striking out one. He left with a two-run deficit.

Left-hander Grayson Grinsell replaced him. He quickly found himself in a sticky situation after a walk and a hit, but he struck out the final two batters of the sixth.

Rikuu Nishida led off the bottom of the sixth with a walk. After Cowley singled, Ceballos ripped a fly ball to center and settled for a sacrifice fly, cutting Oregon’s deficit to 3-2. The Ducks scored just the lone run in two innings against Kai Francis, who entered with a 12.27 ERA.

“Success leaves clues,” Smith said. “So going back and watching how they have an ERA like that was important for us and our preparation.”

The seventh inning was handed to Leo Uelmen, who made his second relief appearance since being demoted to the bullpen. He turned an impressive double play on a comebacker to throw a scoreless frame.

For the eighth inning, Gonzaga brought in Payton Graham, who had an 11.57 ERA. That ugly mark got even worse. Jacob Walsh walked, and Tyler Ganus pinch-ran for him. Thompson doubled, setting things up for Bryce Boettcher, who lined a two-run single to put Oregon on top 4-3.

Rather than settle for a one-run lead, the Ducks exploded for five more runs in the inning. Cowley hit a two-run single with the bases loaded, and Ceballos crushed a three-run homer — his 11th of the season. Smith nearly followed him with his second homer of the game, but it was caught at the warning track. Graham’s ERA rose to 14.19 after the beating. 

“With an offense as hot as it is, it makes hitting so much more fun,” Smith said. “A contagious feeling going into the box and feeling eight other really good hitters right next to you.”

Ceballos, meanwhile, is now 10 RBIs short of tying the Oregon single-season RBI record.

“Stay with the process,” Ceballos said. “Stay with one plan, and go to the middle of the field.”

The Bulldogs got one back in the eighth on two singles and a sacrifice fly. It was the first run Uelmen’s allowed in 4 1/3 innings since moving to the bullpen.

“What we’ve seen [from Uelmen] so far is just really good composure, really good command,” Wasikowski said.

The Ducks added two more in the eighth for good measure. Gavin Grant led off with a double, Anson Aroz hit an RBI groundout and Cowley smashed his seventh home run of the season to make it 11-4.

Uelmen finished the game out with a scoreless ninth, completing his third inning of work.

Oregon (27-12) will be back in action Wednesday at 5 p.m. to complete the two-game set with Gonzaga (14-23).