At one point in the series, the Ducks were just two outs away from a trip to Omaha.
That moment wasn’t on Sunday, however. Game 3 between Oral Roberts (51-12, 5-1 NCAA Tournament) and Oregon (41-22, 4-2 NCAA Tournament) didn’t have the same thrilling ending as the first two tense games of the Eugene NCAA Super Regional. But PK Park was just as tense as the Golden Eagles ended the Ducks’ season by dealing Oregon an 11-6 loss.
Oral Roberts is going to the College World Series for just the second time in program history. The Golden Eagles had one prior appearance in 1978. Now, having won 23 of their last 24 games, ORU is destined for college baseball’s biggest stage.
Sunday’s game ended on a routine groundout to third base. It was a rather anticlimactic ending compared to a game – and series – that had a flair for the dramatic. Game 3 had a disappointing finish, but it was one night ago that the Ducks were a ground ball away from glory of their own. It was Game 2 that will be Oregon’s reminder and motivation throughout this offseason that just began.
“It just tells us there’s more work to be done,” Oregon coach Mark Wasikowski said. “We didn’t get to Omaha this year. It wasn’t in the cards. But I told Pat Kilkenny that if I get to be the head coach at this great institution, we’ll get to Omaha or I’ll die trying and I stand behind those words.”
The Ducks trusted Jackson Pace – a freshman with the second highest ERA on the team – to start the game on the mound and try to shake off his nightmarish last start where he gave up eight runs to Washington without recording an out.
Starting Pace in the must-win Game 3 was far from the most comforting recipe for Oregon success. He hadn’t pitched in 30 days. It would be an uneasy outing for Pace, but what about this Super Regional had been tranquil?
“It wasn’t going to be a day where a lot of guys could [throw] a whole lot of pitches,” Wasikowski said. “We needed to try and find a way to mix and match [who could throw in Game 3].”
Tanner Smith electrified PK Park in the bottom of the 1st.
After Oral Roberts opened the scoring just five batters into the game, Smith flipped the momentum with his 11th home run of the season. A shot into the Oregon bullpen to put the Ducks ahead 3-1 early. After a loss in Game 2, Smith talked about a conversation the team had back in September about the chance to play one game for a trip to Omaha. That hypothetical became reality on Sunday, and Smith gave Oregon a jolt of offense with his 31st career home run – a new Oregon program record.
“There’s going to be a statue of [Smith] built here,” Oregon second baseman Gavin Grant said. “Without a doubt. I don’t know how many records he has but it’s unheard of. I’m just really proud of him.”
Smith created what ended up being half of Oregon’s offense with one swing. The Ducks plated three in the 1st, but Oral Roberts had three runners score in the 4th, 7th and 9th. The Ducks’ bats couldn’t deliver with the season on the line and pitching couldn’t silence the Golden Eagles’ bats.
Oral Roberts loaded the bases without any outs for the second time on Sunday in the 4th. A hectic inning saw a pitching change, a game-tying single, a run walked in, a diving play from Drew Cowley to record an out and save at least one run. Pace started the inning on the mound and Logan Mercado finished it. The Golden Eagles scored three in the 4th and took a 5-3 lead. But they stranded more runners. Oregon was again able to avoid disaster. Through the first four innings, Oral Roberts left seven runners on base.
The Ducks needed a response. No lead had held in the Eugene Super Regionals yet. It was only a matter of time.
And who else but Sabin Ceballos?
A leadoff solo home run rejuvenated the Oregon offense in the bottom of the 6th. His 18th blast of the season – adding to his single-season Oregon record – hit the batter’s eye in center field and gave the Ducks their first run since Smith’s shot in the first.
Oregon faced a multitude of scares in the 7th. Freshman pitcher Grayson Grinsell exited after just 11 pitches after he injured himself on a wild pitch. The young reliever left the game in tears and visible pain. Ducks’ reliever Matt Dallas took over for Grinsell, but a line drive off his head would again silence PK Park. Somehow, he stayed in the game, but the 7th inning belonged to ORU. The Golden Eagles added three runs in the frame. Once on a wild pitch, one on a throwing error by Drew Cowley and one on the ball of Dallas. Oral Roberts took an 8-4 lead as Oregon’s hopes for a trip to Omaha were diminishing and the Ducks’ offense was running out of outs.
A trio of walks from Oral Roberts pitchers loaded the bases for the Ducks in the 7th. A sac-fly from Ceballos drove in one, but Oregon was unable to inflict more damage in a crucial situation that could have yet again altered the tone of the Eugene Super Regional.
The Ducks unraveled in the 9th as the final nail in the coffin. Oregon pitchers allowed six ORU hitters to reach courtesy of three walks and three hit by pitches. Neither pitching or hitting showed up when it mattered.
Oregon used more pitchers (nine) than collected hits (seven) in a winner-take-all Game 3.
The Ducks finished 2-4 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine in a game where opportunities were plentiful, but execution was scarce.
On Friday, Oral Roberts’ 8-0 lead didn’t last. On Saturday, Oregon’s 7-4 advantage was erased by the Golden Eagles. ORU’s 8-4 lead didn’t feel safe in the late innings of Sunday’s contest. Oregon’s magic, however, finally hit a dry spell.
“You can look at it however you want,” Grant said. “But we’re going to keep our heads held high because of everything we’ve done here and I’m just proud of everything these guys and this team and this program has done this year.”
The banner displaying Oregon’s lone College World Series appearance (1954) in left field will remain spacious for at least another season.
