The Oregon Ducks picked up where they left off Saturday after scoring 20 runs in back-to-back games for the first time in program history.

They didn’t match Friday night’s 13-run eighth inning, nor did they quite reach the 20-run mark again. But they opened with 11 runs in the first two innings and never looked back, making for an easy 16-3 victory in the second game of their home-opening series against St. John’s. The Ducks have now scored an unfathomable 60 runs in their last three games.

“It’s a fickle game,” Oregon coach Mark Wasikowski said. “We just try to keep the momentum. The kids were able to keep the momentum today, and it was nice to see.”

They began the afternoon with a five-spot. 

Brennan Milone got off to yet another powerful start with the bat. He smashed his third homer for Oregon, giving the Ducks a quick 2-0 lead. After Jacob Walsh singled and Josh Kasevich was hit by a pitch, Colby Shade smashed a three-run homer to jump Oregon out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning.

It was just one hard hit after another for the Ducks. Drew Cowley doubled, Milone recorded yet another hit and Shade drove in his fourth run of the day in a six-run second inning. That brought Oregon’s total to 24 runs in its last three innings.

Andrew Mosiello pitched to contact, with help from a much crisper Oregon defense. He lost control of the strike zone in the third inning, but Gavin Grant’s stellar play at second base helped him work out of the jam unscathed.

Two singles and a walk got Mosiello into another bases-loaded situation with one out in the fourth. He recorded a crucial strikeout but ended up walking home a run with two outs. Control has been an issue for this Oregon pitching staff.

Kasevich’s second hit of the day and Shade’s third led to another Oregon run in the bottom of the fourth.

Mosiello finished his afternoon with just one run allowed on three hits in five innings. The biggest blemish to his stat line was the five walks.

“I thought Andrew competed well,” Wasikowski said. “I thought that he laid everything he had out there. I don’t think that it was his best start, but I loved his competitiveness. And I know the team rallies around him as well.”

RJ Gordon issued a walk of his own with one out in the sixth. After Walsh made his second error in as many days, Gordon gave up a bloop single that scored a run. Anthony Hall made an incredible throw from right field to nab the runner trying to advance to third.

Despite Kasevich’s best efforts, an infield single brought in another run, cutting the Oregon lead to 12-3.

Shade collected his fourth hit in the bottom of the sixth, coming a triple short of the cycle. He nearly scored on a fielder’s choice but was called out for interference. 

Shade and Cowley each reached base five times on the day.

“We’re not trying to do too much,” Cowley said. “Whatever your role is, do it the best you can.”

Curiously, the Ducks stole two bases while up by nine runs. The inning ended on another interference call, with the home plate umpire claiming Tanner Smith stuck out his arm on a ball.

Gordon was much stronger in the seventh, striking out the side in order.

“I was throwing everything for strikes, specifically the changeup,” Gordon said. “That’s a pitch I’ve been working on for a long time that Coach Waz and [pitching coach Jake] Angier have told me that I really need to perfect if I want to be a long-inning guy.”

The Ducks didn’t put up double digits in the eighth inning as they did in their previous two games, but they did post a crooked number. Four walks and a two-run single by Walsh extended their lead to 16-3.

Gordon wound up pitching the final four innings to secure the leisurely victory. He settled in nicely after a shaky first inning of work.

“I thought it was a tremendous effort by RJ,” Wasikowski said. “He wants to be a starter, and when he throws extended outings like that, he’s clearly screaming that maybe we ought to take a good look at him being a starting pitcher.”

Oregon has now secured at least a series split with two consecutive wins. The Ducks (3-3) and Red Storm (1-5) will continue with Game 3 of the series Sunday at 2 p.m.