The Oregon Ducks kept their postseason hopes alive with a 3-0 victory over Arizona Friday at PK Park.
Starting pitcher Cole Irvin kept the Wildcats off balance with an effective mix of fastballs and change-ups. He threw 7.1 innings, allowed four hits and struck out six en route to his sixth win of the season.
“When I throw more change-ups and throw more fastballs in[side], my fastball gets a little more deceptive,” Irvin said. “It’s the same arm speed and same arm slot, so it’s really important that I have my change-up in every start.”
The win moves Oregon within 2.5 games of Pac-12 leader Utah (15-9 Pac-12). The Ducks likely need to win the conference in order to get into the postseason tournament.
Irvin breezed through the Arizona line-up with relatively no trouble. Only one runner reached third base while he was in the game.
He got into trouble in the eighth, allowing a single to the lead-off man and walk to put runners on first and second with one out, when Manager George Horton called on closer Stephen Nogosek to protect Oregon’s lead.
Nogosek walked the first batter he faced, loading the bases, but managed to induce a 5-4-3 double play to escape the jam.
Nogosek pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his 14th save of the season and secure the victory for the Ducks.
Oregon kickstarted the offense in the third inning with a lead-off bunt single from Carson Breshears. Daniel Patzlaff then singled him home with an RBI-base hit to center field.
The Ducks extended their lead to 3-0 in the fifth. With runners on second and third and two outs, Travis Moniot reached first on a throwing error from the Wildcats third baseman, on a ground ball that would have ended the inning. Instead, both runs scored as the ball bounded into foul territory.
Oregon had just four hits in the game. It will face Arizona again Saturday at 4 p.m. at PK Park.
“We needed a win,” Irvin said. “We need five more.”
Follow Kenny Jacoby on Twitter @KennyJacoby