In its season opener, the Oregon Ducks baseball team upset the No. 8 Texas Tech Red Raiders 9-4 in Lubbock, Texas.

The Ducks opened up the season with their junior right-handed ace Kenyon Yovan on the mound for the season opener. Yovan only went two innings, giving up one run in the first inning that came by Brian Klein, who hit a single right up the middle to drive in Tanner O’Tremba. Yovan only give up one run and one hit on 44 pitches.

Oregon answered with a three-run inning in the top of the third. Junior infielder Spencer Steer started the scoring for the Ducks. Steer hit a single to left field that brought in freshman outfielder Tanner Smith to tie the game at one. First baseman Gabe Matthews opened the game up after driving in two runners off a double to center field giving the Ducks a 3-1 lead.

The Ducks scored three additional runs in the top of the fourth inning to give them a five-run lead over the Red Raiders.
Texas Tech was able to ruffle Oregon’s feathers in the bottom of the fourth. Cameron Warren hit a home run to left field off of Robert Ahlstrom. Ahlstrom then gave up one more run off of a sacrifice fly by Dru Baker to drive in one more run.

Oregon went on to score two runs in the fifth and one in the seventh inning. Texas Tech answered with one run in the sixth.

The Ducks were led by one of four starting freshman designated hitter, Aaron Zavala, who finished his day with three hits on five at-bats and scoring two runs.

Ryne Nelson will head to the mound tomorrow, looking to put the Ducks up 2-0 in their four-game series with Texas Tech.

Follow Gabriel on Twitter @gabe_ornelas