It looked grim in the top of the 3rd as UC Santa Barbara (5-5) took a 5-0 lead, looking to complete its second three-game sweep of the Ducks at PK Park in as many seasons. 

But Oregon (7-3) then rolled off 16-straight runs in a four-hour, five-minute marathon to salvage the series finale and earn a 16-9 comeback win. 

The offensive breakout Oregon had waited all weekend for came in the 6th with the Ducks trailing 5-4. Bennett Thompson got hit with the bases loaded to bring home the tying run. A batter later, Anson Aroz hit an infield single that — aided by a throwing error — plated two. Chase Meggers then added on with a two-RBI single up the middle while pinch-hitting for Ryan Cooney. 

A pair of free passes loaded the bases again for the top of Oregon’s lineup. Justin Cassella, Mason Neville and Drew Smith walked as three more Oregon runs came around to score. Then, Jeffery Heard brought Cassella home on a sac-fly. The inning finally ended on a Thompson strikeout. 

In all, five Gauchos combined to pitch a disastrous 6th inning. Three arms — Cole Tryba, Ryan Troye and Calvin Proskey — failed to record an out as the Ducks tallied eight runs in an inning that featured nine free passes — six walks and two HBPs. Oregon went from trailing by a run to boasting a 13-5 lead in just one frame. The Ducks’ nine-run inning was their most in a single frame since Mar. 9, 2022 — in which they scored 10. 

Kevin Seitter looked to continue to build on his strong start to the season in his third outing of 2024. He struck-out the side in the 1st, but UCSB got to him in the 2nd. After a pair of walks and a double, Corey Nunez smacked a grand slam out to left field. The Ducks found themselves again having to play from behind against the Gauchos. Seitter was pulled after the 2nd. He allowed four runs on four hits while striking-out four. He also allowed three walks and hit a batter. His season’s ERA is up to 6.75.

Ryan Featherston relieved Seitter. He’d have more success as he went 3.0 innings and allowed just one run on four hits. In all, the Ducks’ bullpen had a decent afternoon until an abysmal 9th where it couldn’t find the zone. Bradley Mullan got the win, his second of the season. 

“[Featherston], [Collin] Clarke and Mullan were really really good today,” Oregon head coach Mark Wasikowski said. “After we had a rocky start, those guys settled it down and gave us a chance to win the game. Those guys were critical pieces to that one.”

The Ducks entered Sunday’s game having scored just four runs in the series’ first two games. It took three innings for Oregon’s offense to get going in game three. With two outs in the 4th, Neville turned on a pitch and put it in the Ducks’ bullpen. His three-run shot — the first homer of his collegiate career —  cut Oregon’s deficit to 5-3.

Neville’s homer ended Ryan Gallagher’s start. The Gaucho’s Sunday starter went 3.2 innings and allowed three runs on three hits while walking five, hitting one and striking-out four. Neville’s three-run blast brought in the only runs Gallagher has allowed so far in 2024. 

“I think it was a spark,” Neville said. “We were down and that kind of cut the lead in half and gave us a little momentum and we went out and put up a big zero so that gave us more momentum. We came out after that and just continued to stack on hits, runs, quality at-bats and just went from there.”

The Ducks crept closer again in the 5th. A two-hit inning led to Thompson scoring on an errant throw on an attempted double-play. Thompson’s run came minutes after an inning in which he threw two Gauchos out trying to steal second base. The Ducks’ catcher quietly had a 0-2 day with two runs and an RBI. 

Then, of course, everything fell apart for UCSB in the 6th. Oregon tallied two more runs in the 7th and one in the 8th. The Gauchos responded with four (primarily on walks) in the 9th. But the fat lady had already completed her aria as UCSB’s pitching carousel sunk the Gauchos two innings before. UCSB threw 226 total pitches, but only 122 for strikes for a staggering 53.98%.

The score could have been even more lopsided as Oregon failed to capitalize opportunities early. An Aroz 1st inning-popout stranded three and Bryce Boettcher was left standing on third when the 2nd ended, his double to no avail. The 3rd was no different as Aroz grounded-out to strand two more. The Ducks left six runs on base through their first three innings. Aroz — Who started at first and hit sixth — had five of them. Aroz’s day got better as it aged. The redshirt-sophomore finished 4-6 with two RBIs and a pair of runs in the win.

“[My mindset] stayed the exact same,” Aroz said. “Just doing what I was trying to do. I obviously missed a ball, a fastball in with the bases loaded. Would have loved to turn on that. But I think I hit one of the higher pop-ups I’ve ever hit, so I knew I was on it. It was kind of confidence building, even on a miss.”

The series seemed lost. The Oregon offense had been lacking. But from the 4th inning on, Sunday’s game was reminiscent of last weekend’s series against Lafayette. The Ducks bounced back in a big way for a statement win before an Arizona-based roadtrip.

The Ducks will head to the Grand Canyon State for their next five games. Oregon has a pair of games against Grand Canyon University (6-5) on Mar. 5 and 6 before opening Pac-12 play with a three-game series in Tempe against Arizona State (5-6) on Mar. 8-10.