The eighth inning was the source of magic once again for Oregon.

Saturday’s game wasn’t perfect, as a crucial error by Sam Novtiske put Oregon in an early hole. But the Ducks, with one of the nation’s best offenses, were relentless. Tanner Smith had a huge game, helping Oregon come back to tie it twice. Isaac Ayon also had a bounceback outing on the mound, continuing his home success at PK Park.

Along with the bats of Brennan Milone, Colby Shade and Gavin Grant, the Ducks ultimately prevailed. They exploded for a five-run eighth inning to take down the Utah Utes 8-6. The win secured the Ducks’ second Pac-12 series victory of the year.

In Ayon’s first home start, he retired the first 12 batters he faced. In his second, he retired the first nine and the streak was broken on an error. 

On Saturday in his third home start, he retired the first eight and the streak was once again broken on an error. Center fielder Shade made a great catch in each of the first two innings to help Ayon through a smooth beginning to his afternoon.

Milone got the Ducks on the board in the first with a solo shot, his second homer of the series. He’s caught fire again after a 3-for-30 stretch. Oregon took an early 1-0 lead.

The Utes tied it in the third after the aforementioned error by Novitske, a walk and their first hit of the day. Two more hits off Ayon gave Utah a sudden 3-1 advantage. All three runs were unearned and came with two outs.

Ayon got back on track in the fourth, inducing a double play to work around a one-out single.

Oregon collected two hits in each of the third and fourth innings but couldn’t push anything across. Anthony Hall hit into an unlucky double play in the fourth, with Josh Kasevich being doubled up.

The Ducks’ defense continued to impress as Tanner Smith robbed a home run in the fifth, helping Ayon strand a runner at third.

“We work on it every day in practice: 15 minutes, 30 minutes every day going back on balls against the wall,” Smith said. “I gotta give credit to the preparation.”

Smith followed that up with a home run of his own in the bottom of the inning, a two-run shot that tied the game at three apiece. It was quite an inning for the senior left fielder.

The first two Utes singled in the sixth, putting runners on the corners. An unlucky liner off Novitske’s glove brought in the Utes’ first earned run of the game, giving them a 4-3 lead. A bunt advanced two runners into scoring position, but Ayon recorded a huge strikeout and a comebacker to limit the damage.

All told, Ayon gave up four runs (one earned) on seven hits and two walks while striking out three in six innings. He owns a 1.42 ERA in three home starts this season.

In the seventh, Rio Britton allowed his first runs of the year on a two-run homer that extended Utah’s lead to 6-3.

Matt Dallas worked around a one-out runner on third to pitch a scoreless top of the eighth.

“Just getting ahead and trying to attack,” Dallas said of what was working for him. “Really just trusting my stuff in a situation where it’s kind of tough with your back against the wall.”

The Ducks stormed back in the bottom of the eighth. Hall and Novitske started the rally by drawing back-to-back walks. Josiah Cromwick pinch-hit for Jack Scanlon and was hit by a pitch on an 0-2 count, loading the bases with one out.

Gavin Grant hit one just by the shortstop to cut the deficit to 6-4, and Smith tied the game — again — with a two-run single. Shade gave Oregon a 7-6 lead with a sacrifice fly. Milone continued his huge series with an RBI double that extended the lead to 8-6.

“Honestly pretty calm,” Smith said of the attitude in the Oregon dugout. “We all trusted each other. We had a bunch of confidence that we were gonna come back and that we were gonna win that game, somehow, some way.”

All-American closer Kolby Somers gave up a one-out single but shut the door in the ninth, capping another thrilling victory.

The Ducks are now 4-1 in Pac-12 play, having won both conference series so far.

“They’re a resilient group,” Oregon coach Mark Wasikowski said. “And every game in the Pac is hard. At least, that’s what you’ve gotta have in your mindset going into it. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing.”

Oregon (12-6) will look to complete a sweep of Utah (11-6-1) Sunday at 11 a.m.