The Oregon Ducks’ seven-game winning streak is over.
It came to an end Saturday in the back half of the Ducks’ doubleheader against UC Santa Barbara. Oregon got a grand slam in the second inning from the clutch Josiah Cromwick, but the offense went quiet after that. The Ducks couldn’t overcome a short start from Andrew Mosiello and a big hit in the sixth inning, resulting in a 5-4 loss. However, they lead the series 2-1.
In the first inning, Mosiello hit three batters to load the bases but narrowly escaped unscathed.
The second inning was not so friendly to Mosiello. After giving up a walk and a single to put runners on the corners with no outs, Ducks head coach Mark Wasikowski pulled a surprisingly quick hook on him. He brought in RJ Gordon, who has starter aspirations.
“When you go out there and walk the park and hit a bunch of people, that’s not the standard here,” Wasikowski said. “That ain’t what it looks like. And so if that’s the effort that’s thrown out there on the mound, then that doesn’t deserve to pitch.”
Gordon allowed a sacrifice fly but limited the damage to just one run for the Gauchos in the inning.
The Ducks roared back with authority. After an error and two walks loaded the bases, up stepped catcher Cromwick, who sat out the first game. He slammed one to deep center, clearing the wall for a grand slam as the UCSB center fielder crashed into the fence. The Ducks took a 4-1 lead. It was Cromwick’s second grand slam of the season.
The Gauchos closed the gap to one run in the third with a two-run homer against Gordon.
Dylan Sabia replaced Gordon after two innings. He worked around the Ducks’ fifth hit batsman and a single to pitch a scoreless fourth, then struck out two in a hitless fifth.
The Ducks got something going in the fourth, but Colby Shade was overaggressive trying to stretch a single into a double. His baserunning blunder led to a missed opportunity.
The wheels fell off in the sixth. With Caleb Sloan on the mound, a single and a walk put two runners on. Shade then dove for a ball in center field that he couldn’t quite come up with. It went down as a single and an error, allowing two runs to score. The Gauchos retook the lead, 5-4 — the eventual final score.
The Ducks ran themselves out of another inning in the seventh, as Gavin Grant was caught trying to steal second. Cowley drew a walk, but it was for naught.
Lefty Rio Britton was electric out of the bullpen. He struck out a pair of Gauchos to hold the deficit at one in the sixth. He went on to retire all eight batters he faced, keeping Oregon in the game.
“He was dominant,” Wasikowski said. “Great to see Rio grow. And he’s really believing in himself right now, and he’s got a heck of an arm and a big future.”
Right-hander Stone Churby worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth. He struck out three consecutive batters to strand a runner at third and give the Ducks a chance to come back.
Shade worked a walk to begin the Ducks’ half of the ninth. After Cromwick struck out, Friday night’s hero Grant grounded into a double play to end the game on an anticlimactic note.
“Poor start,” Wasikowski said of the loss. “You’re not gonna win many games when you’re walking nine or 10 guys — walks, hit by pitches.”
It was the first loss for the Ducks since Feb. 20 in San Diego. They still split the doubleheader and lead the series 2-1.
“It’s been a great series so far,” Wasikowski said. “The second game today we didn’t deserve to win; the first game we did deserve to win. That’s the way it worked out.”
Oregon (7-4) will go for the series win over UCSB (6-4) Sunday at noon with freshman Tommy Brandenburg on the mound.
“Tomorrow’s for a series. That’s a big deal,” Wasikowski said.
