Lackluster offense and missed opportunities defined Oregon’s performance in Saturday’s doubleheader. 

After a 10-0 defeat in the first game, the Ducks’ offense continued to struggle in the nightcap, going 1-for-11 with runners on base. They scored a run this time, and the pitchers kept them in the game, but they ultimately fell 4-1 and suffered a sweep to the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos at PK Park.

“They outhit us, outcoached us, outplayed us,” head coach Mark Wasikowski said. “Need to get back to the drawing board and have a great week of practice to get ourselves prepared for the following weekend.”

Matthew Grabmann got the start, but he only lasted two innings. He hit two batters in the first, then walked two and hit another in the second. He managed to give up only one run on a sacrifice fly, though he was still shaky and struggled to find the strike zone.

“I didn’t think he was very effective, and he wasn’t pitching well in my opinion,” Wasikowski said.

Jackson Pace replaced him. Pace wasn’t originally scheduled to pitch this series, but he had arguably the best outing of any Oregon pitcher last weekend, so he got a shot.

Pace hit the fourth UCSB batter of the day and gave up a single, but he got out of it with a strikeout.

Colby Shade led off the bottom of the third with a double. It was the Ducks’ first extra-base hit since the Xavier series and broke an 0-for-24 stretch. Oregon still couldn’t drive him in, continuing last game’s theme by stranding him at second.

A monster two-run homer from Justin Trimble extended UCSB’s lead to 3-0 in the fourth.

Facing the prospect of another shutout, Oregon finally showed some life in the bottom of the fourth. Drew Cowley singled, and Sabin Ceballos doubled to the gap to bring him in. It got the Ducks on the board, though they couldn’t drive in Ceballos and remained down 3-1.

Tanner Smith lined a single in the sixth, looking to keep chipping away. Cowley then reached on a fielder’s choice, and the throw got away, but he was thrown out at second in another questionable call by the umpires this series.

Diodati had a much-needed single in the seventh. Jacob Walsh wasn’t so fortunate, striking out in his fourth straight at-bat to bring his total to 1-for-19 on the season. Shade struck out to end the inning.

In one of Oregon’s lone bright spots, Austin Anderson pitched two scoreless frames, working around a leadoff double in the seventh. He walked one and struck out four.

“He was really good,” Wasikowski said. “He was very effective. He was getting his breaking ball over for a strike. He had good bite to it, and it was sharp.”

Oregon’s best chance at scoring came in the eighth. Tyler Ganus pinch hit and legged out an infield single, pumping his fists and screaming towards the dugout as he reached first base. Gavin Grant walked, setting up a prime opportunity for the top of the order.

Rikuu Nishida hustled as well, beating out a potential double play to reach on a fielder’s choice. With Nishida representing the tying run, UCSB pitcher Hudson Garrett relentlessly threw over to check on him, making the crowd restless with groans and whines. It may have also messed with the hitters’ rhythms, as Smith and Cowley both struck out in the biggest spot of the game. 

Matt Dallas led off the ninth with a walk, which eventually came around to score to make it 4-1. Smith robbed a home run over the left field wall, but it was still a sacrifice fly that gave UCSB some extra insurance.

But insurance wasn’t even necessary on a day like this. The Ducks failed to score yet again, going down meekly with just one run in the entire doubleheader.

“There’s not a lot that you don’t look to improve on,” Wasikowski said. “Two-strike hitting, just being ready to hit fastballs when you get good fastball counts… The blame isn’t with players only. It’s with coaches. It’s with preparation. And we need to improve.”

Oregon (4-3) will look to get back on track with a four-game series against San Diego at PK Park starting Thursday.