Baseball is a funny game because there are so many games played over the course of a season, it’s extremely difficult to beat the same team multiple times.
Despite Oregon (15-7, 6-3 Pac-12) clinching the three-game series on Saturday, Arizona (10-12, 4-5 Pac 12) avoided the sweep by handing the Ducks a 15-4 loss on Sunday.
“It was a 3-2 ball game going into the seventh,” head coach Mark Wasikowski said. “It just got away from us.”
The starting pitcher, Kevin Seitter, allowed the first hit of the game to the first batter and walked the second one on a full count. A passed ball put those two Wildcat runners in scoring position, but three straight strikeouts ended their first-inning threat.
In his next outing, Seitter pitched a 1-2-3 inning against Arizona with three strikeouts. Anson Aroz built off that momentum with his fourth home run of the season to give the Ducks a one-run lead. A wide throw from the Wildcats’ shortstop that pulled the first baseman off the bag gave Bryce Boettcher an opportunity to get on base, extending the inning with two outs. An RBI single from Justin Cassella brought Boettcher home and put Oregon ahead 2-0.
Three-up and three-down innings happened for both the Ducks and Wildcats in the early innings of the game. If that wasn’t the case, then runners for both teams would reach the base, but weren’t able to capitalize on anything.
Until Arizona broke that cycle in the top of the fourth.
An RBI double from Easton Breyfogle cut Oregon’s deficit to one. Two batters later, Drew Smith’s fielding error at second created an opportunity for Arizona to tie the game — and they did.
The Ducks tried to respond in the latter half of the inning when Ryan Cooney beat out the throw from shortstop to reach first. Boettcher grounded into a fielder’s choice, still giving Oregon a runner on base with two outs. But after Garate struck out swinging on a 1-2 count, that opportunity was over.
In the bottom of the fifth, Smith singled and Jeffery Heard walked to put multiple runners on base for Oregon since the second inning. But once again, nothing came from it.
101 pitches across 5.1 innings created eight strikeouts, four walks, three hits and one earned run for Seitter before Brock Moore came in to relieve. The first five pitches from Moore clocked in at the high 90s, with his fastest one being 100 mph during the first strikeout of his appearance.
But speed didn’t scare the Wildcats because Arizona broke the tie right after an RBI single to center field with three and a half innings to go.
The Ducks attempted to get back into the game. On a 3-1 count, Jacob Walsh doubled down the right field line, his fifth of the season. But, he was left stranded as three consecutive outs — which included two strikeouts — took place.
Two walks and a blooper single to second base loaded the bases for the Wildcats with no outs. An RBI single to right field broke open the game for Arizona and extended its lead to three. 31 pitches into his outing, Moore was replaced with Logan Mercado in the top of the seventh.
Another RBI single from the Wildcats extended their lead, 6-2. In the next at-bat, Bennett Thompson overthrew third base in an attempted pick-off and another runner came home.
Garate was hit by a pitch to kick off the bottom of the seventh and Casella brought him home after a single to center field. But, the runners were able to advance two more bases because of an error, making the score 7-3. With Casella on third, Smith brought him home with an RBI single to cut the deficit to three.
After the umpires reversed a caught stealing call, Arizona was able to score two more runs with no outs in the top of the eighth. Once those runs were scored, Mercado loaded the bases and gave up a grand slam for a 13-4 lead.
From that point on, Oregon remained quiet. The Wildcats were able to score two more runs before the game ended to make the final score, 15-4.
The Ducks will take a break from conference play when Seattle comes to Eugene on Wednesday, March 27-Saturday, March 30.
