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The Student News Site of University of Oregon

Daily Emerald
The Student News Site of University of Oregon

Daily Emerald
The Student News Site of University of Oregon

Daily Emerald

Oregon baseball drops game 3 to No. 8 Texas Tech despite early lead

Maverick Pallack
February 17, 2019

Oregon baseball bounced back from a pair of losses to Stanford with a 5-2 victory over the San Francisco Dons on Monday. Cullen Kafka picked up the win for the Ducks – his third of the season – while Daniel Slominski took the loss for the Dons. The win marks …

After a season-opening win, Oregon had early hopes of starting 2-0 against No. 8 Texas Tech, beginning game two with an eight-run first inning. Following a poor debut as a starting pitcher for Ryne Nelson and the bullpen surrendering five runs, the Ducks fell to Texas Tech 12-11.

Going into Sunday’s game, the Ducks had a chance to clinch at least a share of the series going into game three, but they did after that 9-4 Friday win.

Although holding a 3-0 lead at one point, the Oregon baseball team (1-2) fell to the No. 8 Texas Tech Red Raiders 6-4 Sunday with another tough bullpen performance.

The Ducks once again got out to an early lead, scoring a run for three straight innings, starting in the second, to begin the game up 3-0. Vinny Tosti, Gabe Matthews and Tanner Smith all had RBI singles for the Ducks.

Despite a strong first three innings, starting pitcher Cullen Kafka left with a no decision. The sophomore held the No. 8 team in the country to zero hits in his first 3.2 innings, but a walk and a Dylan Neuse RBI triple gave Kafka his first earned run of the season.

Oregon got one back in the top of the fifth when Spencer Steer knocked in Johnny DeLuca, but Kafka was unable to secure the shutdown inning, allowing an RBI single to Josh Jung to bring the score to 4-2.

Whether it was due to a taxed bullpen that had pitched 12.2 innings over the last two days or putting more responsibility on his young pitcher, head coach George Horton sent Kafka back out there for the sixth.

The decision backfired as Kafka could not hold onto the lead. He allowed a two-run home run to Tanner O’Tremba to tie the game, forcing Horton to make the change.

The bullpen continued its tough start to the season. Jung gave the Red Raiders their first lead of the game with a two-run single off Robert Ahlstrom, who had the win on Friday.

The scoring ended there as Texas Tech shut down Oregon for the remainder of the game to take the series advantage.

The two will retake the field for a rare Monday series finale at 11 a.m. with Cole Stringer slated to start for the Ducks.

Follow Maverick Pallack on Twitter @mavpallack

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