A stellar outing by pitcher Christian Jones and some timely offense led the No. 15 Oregon baseball team (4-3) to a series-winning 3-2 victory over visiting St. Mary’s (2-4) Sunday.
Jones struck out a career-high 12 batters over seven innings of one-run ball, allowing only five hits and two walks to earn his first victory of the season. He was backed by a Duck offense that took advantage of several Gael mistakes to score two runs in the second inning and one in the third.
In the second inning, Oregon plated two unearned runs when J.J. Altobelli hit a sacrifice fly to score Ryan Healy, who reached base on an error, and Tyler Kuresa scored on an errant pickoff throw.
The Ducks tacked on a third run in the third inning when Ryan Hambright executed a flawless safety squeeze bunt to knock in Marcus Piazzisi.
St. Mary’s scored its only run off Jones in the sixth inning on an RBI groundout. Oregon reliever Kellen Moen replaced Jones in the eighth inning and allowed a solo home run to Patrick Wisdom, but pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his second save of the season.
Despite surrendering only one earned run over six strong innings, Martin Agosta was tagged with the loss for the Gaels.
Saturday
Oregon pitcher Madison Boer’s second outing of the season looked an awful lot like his first. Boer, who was named Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week after throwing eight shutout innings in a winning effort at Hawaii last weekend, threw 7 1/3 shutout innings Saturday to lead Oregon to a 3-0 win.
Reliever Porter Clayton recorded two outs in relief of Boer in the eighth inning before Scott McGough earned his first save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Ducks scored a run in the third inning when outfielder Marcus Piazzisi stole third base, then scored on a St. Mary’s throwing error. Oregon tacked on two insurance runs in the eighth inning on an RBI single from Piazzisi and an RBI infield single by Aaron Jones.
The Gaels advanced a runner to third base in the second inning, but were ultimately unable to get on the scoreboard.
Boer earned his second win of the season for Oregon while Kyle Barraclough lost his second straight for St. Mary’s.
Friday
A late-game rally by St. Mary’s spoiled Oregon’s home opener on a chilly Eugene night. Duck starter Tyler Anderson pitched 7 1/3 innings of nearly perfect baseball and was in line for a victory, but Oregon’s bullpen faltered, helping the Gaels to a come-from-behind, 3-2 win. Anderson was relieved by Moen in the top of the eighth inning with one out and runners on first and second, and Oregon ahead 2-0.
Moen walked the only two batters he faced to force in a run before getting pulled. McGough fared no better when he entered in relief, throwing a wild pitch and walking two St. Mary’s hitters before finally getting out of the inning. By that time, however, the Gaels had already scored three runs and taken a lead they would not relinquish.
The Ducks threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases with one out, but Altobelli hit into a double play to end the game.
Oregon scored both of its runs in the first inning on a Hambright fielder’s choice and a Paul Eshleman sacrifice fly.
Mark Anderson picked up his first win of the season for St. Mary’s, while Moen was assessed his first loss.
Oregon will return to action Tuesday when it hosts Portland. First pitch at PK Park is scheduled for 5 p.m.
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Ducks outduel Gaels in rubber match
Daily Emerald
February 27, 2011
Michael Ciaglo
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