The Ducks put together about the most team-effort win they could imagine in their 7-0, series-opening win over Ohio State. Oregon smacked four homers, pitched a shutout and had each starter record at least one hit.
That’s complete and utter dominance.
Entering this weekend’s series, No. 10 Oregon sat atop the Big Ten baseball standings while Ohio State ranked dead last and winless in conference play. Everything sign pointed to the Ducks leaving Columbus with (at least) a series win.
They got off to the right start. Three batters into the series, Oregon had the lead. Mason Neville wore a pitch to start the game and Dominic Hellman plated him with an RBI double.
However, Oregon starter Grayson Grinsell’s day also got off to a shaky start. The lefty hit the first two batters he faced to set Ohio State up with an early scoring opportunity. His defense stepped up, though, and rolled a double play while working out of the scoreless frame.
The score stayed knotted with both pitchers recording fast innings until the top of the fourth when Anson Aroz’s sixth homer of the season doubled the Oregon lead. One batter later, Maddox Molony left the yard with his seventh blast of 2025. Ryan Cooney tallied an RBI single later in the frame as the Ducks jumped ahead 4-0.
That would be all for Ohio State’s starter, Drew Erdmann. He allowed four runs on seven hits across his four innings while fanning four. His season ERA is up to a rough 12.71 as he earned the loss on Friday.
Grinsell’s stretch of 10-straight retired hitters ended as a pair of Buckeyes reached to open the bottom of the fifth, but again worked out of the jam, relying on his infield for all three outs.
Dominic Hellman added to the lead in the eighth with his eighth homer of the season. His solo shot made him the first of three Ducks to reach to start the frame, but Ohio State worked out of a jam of its own to limit the damage.
Jason Reitz took over in the bottom of the eighth with a five-run lead and six outs remaining. Grinsell’s stellar outing ended after seven shutout frames in which he allowed just three hits, three hit-by-pitches and a walk. His five strikeouts on the night were lower than he typically produces, but his defense behind him did everything he needed them to do to keep his outing scoreless.
Neville got in on the homer parade in the ninth with a two-run blast to put Oregon at the seven-run mark. His conference-leading 12th homer of the season put a nice bow on the Ducks’ four-homer game.
The Ducks collected 12 hits on Friday. Each starter recorded at least one hit while Neville, Hellman and Molony both boasted multi-hit days.
Kellan Knox recorded the game’s final three outs to lock down the series-opening win for Oregon. The two squads will go back at it Saturday at 11:05 a.m. PST.
