Before USC faced Oregon Friday, 16 of the Trojans’ 32 games this season were decided by a single run. They were 8-8 in those games.
Now, they have a losing record in one-run games.
The Oregon Ducks (15-12, 5-5 Pac-12) emerged victorious, 4-3, in a back-and-forth battle with USC Friday at PK Park, thanks in large part to clutch plays from two freshmen.
Freshman shortstop Travis Moniot, who entered the game hitting .149, tied the game at 3-3 with a solo home run in the fifth inning. In the eighth, as a runner on first attempted a steal, Moniot broke toward second but reversed directions to make a back-handed play on a ground ball and throw a runner out at first and prevent a precarious, runners-on-the-corners situation.
“I feel like we’re starting to find our identity a little more,” Moniot said. “Coach Horton said we need to hit first instead of waiting for something to happen.”
Freshman outfielder Jake Bennett scored the go-ahead run in the sixth inning on a play that began as a busted hit-and-run; the pitch was too high for Steven Packard to swing. As Bennett stole second, the catcher’s throw bounded past the shortstop and into center field. Bennett broke for third, and the center fielder tried to throw him out but sailed the ball into the visitor’s dugout, giving Bennett a free pass to home plate and the Ducks a 4-3 edge.
“I think it’s just the snowball effect,” Bennett said. “We’re starting to get things going right and then it seems like everyone’s getting a little more confident.”
Starting pitcher Matt Krook had another signature, “effectively wild” outing. He allowed three runs, all earned, on four hits, six walks and five strikeouts in 6.0 innings.
Matt Mercer relieved Krook to start the seventh inning and got into hot water after a pair of two-out singles, but Brac Warren took over for him and got the Ducks out of the frame unscathed.
Warren pitched a scoreless eighth and Stephen Nogosek shut down the ninth inning to secure the Ducks their third straight win.
“It feels good. It’s been awhile since we won on Friday,” Manager George Horton said. “It doesn’t make the rest of the series any easier; the prideful Trojans, I’m sure, will come back guns a-blazing. But to get off to a good start — we feel good about that.”
Oregon’s win streak would be at four games, but its game Wednesday against Portland was halted due to weather with the Ducks leading 3-1 in the ninth inning.
The Trojans struck first in the top of the first. Lead-off hitter Corey Dempster pulled a double down the third baseline and advanced to second for a double. He advanced to third on catcher Slade Heggen’s passed ball and scored while the Ducks turned a 5-4-3 double play.
The Ducks scored once in both the first and second innings to take a 2-1 lead. A.J. Balta blasted a triple down the right field line to score Austin Grebeck, who drew a lead-off walk, and put Oregon on the scoreboard. With two outs in the second, Heggen roped a triple and, following a walk, Grebeck drove him home with a line drive single to left-center field.
USC retook the lead on Frankie Rios’ two-run double to right-center in the fourth, but Moniot’s big fly came shortly thereafter.
Oregon takes on USC in game two Saturday at 2 p.m.
Follow Kenny Jacoby on Twitter @KennyJacoby