The No. 12 ranked Oregon baseball team opened its season at PK Park with a five-run first inning that set the tone for a long, punishing affair. While the game proved to be a rather close one against Illinois State, the Ducks’ seventh inning offensive burst eventually propelled them to a 8-5 win.
In the first inning, Oregon backed every bit of its ranking. The Ducks sent 11 batters to the plate and five crossed to score in the opening frame on three hits, four walks and a hit batsman. The big blow came on Phil Craig-St.Louis’ three RBI triple in his at-bat since going 1-11 in San Diego.
“I’ve been waiting for that moment,” Craig-St.Louis said. “I was happy I got the opportunity to do it and I delivered.”
Illinois St. starter Jeffrey Barton lasted just one out and tagged with all five earned runs.
Oregon’s next hit came in the third inning. Tim Susnara dropped a bunt down the third-base line and beat it out. It would be Oregon’s last hit until the seventh.
“I don’t think we adjusted very well offensively,” head coach George Horton said.
The Ducks were sent down in 1-2-3 fashion the following three innings.
“They started throwing more off speed stuff,” Craig St.Louis said. “I think our swings got a little out of control.”
All the while, the Redbirds came scratching back into the game. Against freshman starter Isaiah Carranza, who’s made his first start in college baseball Thursday, ISU responded in the second inning with two runs after Carranza walked the leadoff batter.
“Those first couple of I was pitching a little timid, I wasn’t myself,” Carranza said. “After I got more comfortable I was pounding the zone more.”
In the fourth, the Redbirds added two more runs. In both innings ISU scored runs off of Carranza, the right-hander allowed the leadoff man to reach base. In the four other innings that Carranza outed the leadoff man, the former Texas Rangers draft pick allowed a single baserunner.
“It’s so much easier when there’s not someone on to leadoff,” Carranza said.
Jacob Bennett was sent to relief Carranza in the seventh.
With two outs, Illinois St. tied the game after Austin Grebeck over ran a line drive to right center field. Redbirds’ leadoff man Daniel Dwyer never stopped running around the bases as the ball rolled to the wall and would slide safely for an inside-the-park home run. Grebeck’s throw to Travis Moniot, the cut-off man, bounced and got away from the freshman shortstop.
“I think if we play catch, it’s a triple,” Horton said.
In the bottom half of the recently tied game, Oregon picked up its first hit since Susnara’s bunt single. It was another bunt single beat out by Jakob Goldfarb that started a three-run inning. Phil Craig-St.Louis and Steven Packard both earned walks to load the bases with one out.
Illinois State reliever Jack Czeszewski threw a wild pitch that scored Goldfarb from third and gave Oregon a 6-5 lead. In relief of Czeszewski was Jack Landwehr, who threw another pitch that sent home an Oregon run. Jean Ramirez is credited with the past ball.
Following Susnara’s strike out, third baseman Matt Kroon singled to right field for a two-out RBI that concluded the three-run inning. Kroon was starting in his first game as a Duck.
“He looks like he belongs,” Horton said. “He’s not scared. Looks good at third base, looks good on the bases. I thought that was one of our best at-bats.”
Cooper Stiles pitched the final two innings without allowing a hit to earn his first save of the year.
Oregon improves to 4-0 on the season and will play Illinois State again on Friday at 6 p.m. at PK Park.
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