The Oregon baseball team’s offensive struggles were on full display as the team lost its fifth consecutive game on Wednesday night against Portland. With the 2-1 loss, the Ducks are now 19-19 on the season.
Neither the Ducks nor the Pilots (16-24) gained much momentum at the plate during the game. Portland’s reliever Tate Budnick entered the game in the fifth inning and put away 11 consecutive Oregon batters. Oregon had four hits and left three batters on base, while Portland had nine hits and left five on base.
Senior Taylor Travess hit 2-3 with a double and a triple, which earned him his first career game with multiple extra base hits. His double in the third inning scored Ryan Nelson for the Ducks only score of the game.
Huner Breault, a freshman from Hawaii, started his first career game for Oregon. He pitched two innings, gave up four hits and a solo home run from Hunter Montgomery in the second inning.
In the third inning, after Zack Noll took over from Breault, with two outs remaining, Beau Brundage singled, then stole second. The following play, Daniel Lopez hit a double down the left field line to score Brundage and take a 2-1 lead.
After the third inning, both team’s pitchers shut down the opposing team. Oregon pitchers James Acuna and Cullen Kafka gave the team good productivity on the mound. Kafka arrived in the fourth to relieve Noll, and went 2.2 innings with one strikeout and a walk. Acuna came in to start the seventh inning, struck out three and retired all six batters he faced in order.
Oregon will look to earn back a winning record with a three-game series at home against USC starting on Friday at 6 p.m.
Follow August Howell on Twitter @howell_august