The ball flew out of Alexander Field in West Lafayette, as No. 23 Oregon baseball and Purdue traded timely home runs in both teams’ Big Ten opener. In the end, the Ducks manufactured just enough runs without the longball to withstand a two-run ninth-inning rally by the Boilermakers.

Burke-Lee Mabeus’ third-inning grand slam put the Boilermakers in a 7-1 hole, and Jack Brooks’ solo shot in the eighth was enough to withstand Purdue home runs off previously-perfect relievers Tanner Bradley and Ryan Featherston. 

Oregon’s Friday starter Will Sanford (5 IP, 2 ER, 8 K, 4 BB) put together another solid-but-abbreviated start as the Ducks’ pitching could not follow the lineup’s dominance in the first of many matchups against inferior Big Ten opponents.

The Ducks manufactured a run in the first inning, when Jax Gimenez reached base on a hit by pitch, Dominic Hellman advanced him to third base with a double and Maddox Molony brought him in on a sacrifice fly.

Oregon’s lineup stayed hot in the second, capitalizing on a leadoff single and stolen base by Drew Smith with a groundout to advance him and an RBI single by Brooks.

Oregon’s lineup responded by loading the bases in the third inning, by way of singles from Hellman and Molony, and an intentional walk of Drew Smith. Gabe Miranda did not get caught up in the moment and walked in a run, and Burke-Lee Mabeus took the opposite approach, sitting on a first-pitch curveball and driving it for a grand slam.

Sanford ended the imperfect start with momentum for his next, blowing a high fastball past right fielder Sergio DeCello for an eight-pitch strikeout on his 100th pitch.

Tanner Bradley relieved Sanford for his third straight start, coming in to serve the multi-inning role in which he held opponents scoreless through 8.2 innings. This time, though, Bradley got in trouble, facing first-and-third with one out due to two walks and a wild pitch. He bounced back for a three-pitch strikeout, but left a 2-0 fastball over the plate to pinch-hitter Jimmy Dionne, which the junior turned into a three-run home run and a 7-5 deficit.

After Oregon failed to push back with one out and runners on first and second in the top of the seventh, Featherston held Purdue at bay in the bottom of the inning. Featherston recovered from an error covering first base to record his second and third strikeouts of the outing, and Mabeus helped him out by catching a runner stealing second by a significant margin.

Jack Brooks pushed the Ducks’ lead to 8-5 in the eighth inning by taking a first-pitch slider for his first home run of the season. 

Featherston returned for the ninth inning with his pitch count at 39, and the Boilermakers made Oregon pay. Freshman Westin Boyle flew a full-count pitch into right field, which Oregon freshman Angel Laya made an ill-advised diving attempt for, resulting in a leadoff triple. Third baseman Sam Flores forewent the opportunity to manufacture a run, and brought the Boilermakers within one with a first-pitch home run.

A two-out single threatened to continue the rally, but Oregon first baseman Gabe Miranda tracked a line drive straight at him to secure a dramatic 3.1-inning save for Featherston.

First pitch for game two in West Lafayette is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. PST on March 7.