After an 0-3 start, the Oregon baseball team has won its last four games. With a 13-1 win over St. John’s, the Ducks clinched their first series victory of the season Sunday.
Isaac Ayon was fantastic on the mound after a shaky season debut in San Diego. He set career highs in innings and strikeouts, dominating the Red Storm lineup. The Ducks put together another productive day at the plate, with Drew Cowley, Colby Shade and Josh Kasevich staying magma hot.
Ayon, sitting 93-94 with his fastball, set down the first 12 batters he faced. He worked quickly and efficiently, utilizing his low-80s curveball to mow through hitters. He was consistent too, striking out one batter in each of the first five innings.
It was easily the strongest Ayon has looked in an Oregon uniform.
“He was more efficient with his pitches, and it just seemed like he was in better control of his body,” Oregon coach Mark Wasikowski said.
Cowley continued his hot hitting ways, blooping a one-out triple between the foul line and the left fielder in the Ducks’ half of the first. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases, and Kasevich gave Oregon another early lead with a two-run single.
The Ducks’ offense broke out again in the third. Singles from Brennan Milone, Jacob Walsh and Kasevich made it 3-0, and Shade’s double brought in two more. After hitting Jack Scanlon to load the bases, St. John’s starter Oliver McCarthy was pulled without recording an out in the inning.
Red Storm reliever Dylan Johnson prevented the frame from further exploding. A double play brought in one more run, giving the Ducks a 6-0 lead after three.
Cowley walked in the fourth, then scored on three wild pitches. He and Shade each reached base four times Sunday, continuing their torrid offensive stretches. Shade has gotten on base in his last 11 plate appearances, while Cowley has reached in his last 10.
“He’s done really well, and he’s keeping it simple,” Wasikowski said of Shade. “His mom made the trip from Colorado, so I’m glad that he’s able to play well for his mom Leslie, and that’s really exciting.”
The Red Storm brought an end to Ayon’s perfect game with a leadoff single in the fifth. A second hit put St. John’s in business, but Ayon recorded a strikeout to end the frame.
The Ducks scored another run without a hit in the fifth. Shade was hit by a pitch, stole second, advanced to third on an error and scored on a wild pitch.
Ayon allowed an unlucky infield hit with one out in the sixth, then gave up a rifle down the right field line, scoring the Red Storm’s first run of the game.
Oregon pitching coach Jake Angier paid a visit to the mound after Ayon issued his first walk of the day. That seemed to calm Ayon down, as he recorded his seventh strikeout to end the inning.
“Angier was like, ‘You’ve got this; just pitch,’” Ayon said. “It felt great to limit the damage. It was awesome.”
Ayon’s afternoon ended there. He went a career-high six innings, giving up just the one run on four hits and one walk.
“I wasn’t trying to do too much,” Ayon said. “I was just letting the fastball sink and working well off that.”
Tanner Smith did a great job hustling to beat out an infield hit in the seventh, bringing in a run as Johnson was slow to cover first. Hits from Milone, Walsh and Kasevich kept the line moving, extending the Oregon lead to 13-1.
“We’re really versatile,” Kasevich said. “A lot of guys have different skillsets, and I think that the important part is they know what their skillsets are, so when we can piece those together, we have a very versatile offense.”
For the first time since last Saturday, the Ducks didn’t score in the eighth inning.
Caleb Sloan, Scott Ellis and Jacob Hughes each pitched a scoreless inning out of the bullpen, capping off yet another easy win for the Ducks.
Oregon (4-3) will look to complete a sweep of St. John’s (1-6) in Monday’s 2 p.m. series finale.
“We’ve got fans now; they’re allowed to be here,” Wasikowski said. “They’re allowed to enjoy the ballpark just like it was before the pandemic, and thank goodness we’re back to that place.”
