Oregon baseball (18-13) fell 2-1 in extra innings in a crushing loss to Michigan State (13-14), the first match-up of a three-game series.
Junior pitcher Cole Irvin made the start for the Ducks and proved why he belongs on the mound each Friday. Although his command faltered throughout the night, Irvin neutralized every Spartan threat he faced in 5.1 innings of shutout baseball.
Following a standout freshman season, Irvin missed his entire sophomore season to recuperate from Tommy John surgery, but began 2015 as the Friday starter. Because Irvin’s recovery limited him to a maximum pitch count each appearance, Conor Harber relieved him on three occasions and made a name for himself. Harber picked up wins in all three, struck out 17 and didn’t concede a run in 16 innings from the bullpen, and thus replaced Irvin as the Friday starter.
Harber pitched lights out in relief, but his performances declined sharply once he took on a starting role. In his four starts this season, he’s allowed 15 earned runs on 21 hits and 10 walks in 19 innings. So although Irvin had his worst start of the season last week against Arizona, lasting just 1.2 innings and giving up eight earned runs on seven hits, a walk and two wild pitches, he returned to the rubber this Friday to mix the mojo for an Oregon club that’s desperate to shift the tide.
Irvin did not bring “ace” stuff to the bump this evening, but displayed his resilience in battling out of sticky situations. In the second, he and catcher Tim Susnara picked off both runners on base on consecutive plays to put the kibosh on a potentially dangerous inning. The Oregon offense, however, failed to produce enough insurance runs to preserve Irvin’s win, a theme that’s recurred all season long.
The Ducks’ lone run of the evening came on center fielder Austin Grebeck’s bases loaded walk to score first baseman Brandon Cuddy. Michigan State tied it up in the eighth with an RBI-base knock off Stephen Nogosek, who entered the same inning after 1.2 scoreless frames from Josh Graham. Nogosek was lucky to escape the inning with just one run, as he walked two Spartans on eight straight balls with two outs, only to strike the next batter out looking.
The game went into extra innings as neither team could muster another run with the score tied at 1-1. Nogosek avoided any further damage and pitched through the 10th inning, and closer Garrett Cleavinger entered for the 11th. Michigan State, however, rattled Cleavinger for two walks and an RBI-single that served as the dagger in the Ducks’ bellies.
Oregon’s numbers at the plate have declined at a staggering rate the past month and once again its bats were utter non-factors. The Ducks walked eight times but produced a mere two hits in 33 at bats while striking out 15 times.
The Ducks must earn a win tomorrow at 2 p.m. at PK Park to avoid its fourth straight week of losing the Friday and Saturday games of its weekend series.
Follow Kenny Jacoby on Twitter @kennyjacoby