After having the team’s season opener pushed back a day, the Oregon Ducks were defeated by Fresno State on Saturday night 9-1 in Fresno, California. The team was scheduled to begin its season on Friday, but a rainstorm in the Fresno area forced the postponement of the game until Saturday. The Ducks and Bulldogs will play a doubleheader on Sunday, with the series concluding on Monday.
The Ducks got out to a quick start by loading the bases in the top of the first inning but were unable to produce any runs. Starting pitcher David Peterson put together a quick inning in the first, retiring the Bulldogs in just 11 pitches. But Peterson ran into trouble in the second inning.
Fresno State brought 10 runners up to bat and put five runs on the board to put the Ducks in the hole early.
The Bulldogs were again on the attack in the third, loading the bases with one out in the inning, but the Ducks defense held and prevented the Bulldogs from adding to their lead.
The Bulldogs’ starting pitcher Ricky Tyler was dealing, and struck out the side in the fourth. Oregon’s Daniel Patzlaff put his mark on the game, blasting a solo home run to cut the deficit to four runs.
Freshman James Acuna took over for the Ducks in the bottom of the fifth in his first appearance in an Oregon uniform. He gave up a single in the inning but otherwise shut down the Bulldogs. Peterson gave up five earned runs on eight hits, and struck out four batters in the loss.
The Ducks were held in check again in the top of the sixth. Acuna’s stay in the game was short, as he was pulled in the bottom of the sixth after surrendering a double and a sac bunt. Senior Cooper Stiles came into the game and got the team out of the jam by forcing a weak groundout and striking out the batter for the third out, keeping the deficit at four runs.
Fresno State called to the bullpen to start the top of the seventh. Starting pitcher Ricky Tyler Thomas struck out nine Ducks and surrendered just two hits, including the one home run in the win. The Bulldogs added another run in the top of the seventh and three more in the top of the eighth to give the team the final margin.
The Ducks will use sophomores Matt Mercer and Cole Stringer in the Sunday doubleheader against Fresno State. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.
Follow Zak Laster on Twitter: @zlast3445