Oregon head coach Mark Wasikowski spoke on Wednesday about the Ducks’ needed improvement during series-opening games in Pac-12 play. Entering Friday, they were 0-2.
RJ Gordon, however, had other ideas as he led Oregon (14-6, 5-2 Pac-12) past the Wildcats (9-11, 3-4 Pac-12) to get this weekend’s series off on the right (webbed) foot.
He didn’t get any run support until the sixth, but it wouldn’t matter. He was just that good.
Gordon ran into trouble early. The Wildcats led off the top of the first with a leadoff double and a walk to set up an early scoring threat. Gordon settled in, however, and got out of the jam unscathed.
That double — off the bat of Richie Morales — would serve as Arizona’s lone hit until the fourth inning when Mason White led the frame off with a double. This time, Gordon’s luck wasn’t as strong and Adonys Guzman singled White home for the game’s first run.
Gordon faced more trouble in the fifth. With two runners on and two out, he got White to fly out to the warning track in center to end the threat. Gordon’s day would end in the seventh frame. Despite the Wildcats having a steady dose of baserunners, Gordon had one of his best outings of the season as he allowed just one run on four hits while striking out seven and walking one across his 6.1 innings. He tied his career high in both strikeouts and innings pitched as he lowered his ERA from 5.33 to 4.55 and earned his first win of the season.
Oregon’s offense, however, didn’t offer Gordon even an ounce of run support until the bottom of the sixth. A pair of walks issued by Jackson Kent and a perfect bunt from Jeffery Heard loaded the bases with nobody out in the sixth. Bennett Thompson then singled home a pair to give Oregon its first lead of the series and the pitching staff some aid.
That would be all the offense would muster on Friday. The Ducks finished with just six hits, but Thompson’s came when it was needed most. Oregon’s offense struck out six times — Jacob Walsh recording three of them. The offense still needs to get going in Pac-12 play, but Gordon’s night proved enough on Friday.
Arizona’s starter, Kent, threw a very impressive loss. Across his seven full innings, he limited the Ducks to just two runs on two hits while fanning five and only walking two. He had even less support from his dugout as the Wildcats only strung together seven hits and were 1-8 with runners in scoring position.
Oregon’s bullpen was great. Brock Moore, Bradley Mullan and Logan Mercado combined for 2.2 innings of scoreless ball. Mercado earned his fourth save of the season after working around a leadoff single. After falling behind Brendan Summerhill 3-0, he climbed the ladder to fan him and end the game in emphatic fashion.
Oregon has now won five straight games against Arizona — including last season’s Pac-12 Tournament Championship Game — and looks forward to another pair of games against the Wildcats this weekend. Saturday’s game is scheduled for 2:05 p.m.
