Sunny skies and the annual spring football game brought a record breaking crowd out to PK Park — with 3,892 in attendance, the most for Oregon Baseball at PK Park — as the no. 10 Ducks took on the California Golden Bears. Oregon broke away from a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the seventh with a 2-out RBI single to left field by Aaron Payne driving in senior Brett Hambright. The bullpen was sharp for the Ducks. Freshman starter Jake Reed threw for 7 innings with 2 earned runs and 4 walks, which gave the ducks difficulty in the seventh. Closer Jimmy Sherfy was credited with the save, striking out one batter in the top of the ninth for the Ducks to win 3-2. Oregon faces Cal again for the final game of the weekend series tomorrow, April 29, at noon at PK Park.
Cal catcher Andrew Knapp slides into home before the ball can reach Oregon catcher Brett Hambright in the top of the 5th inning. (Jeff Matarrese/Oregon Daily Emerald)
Oregon pitcher Jake Reed celebrates after pitching himself out of a rough seventh inning with runners stranded at first and third. (Jeff Matarrese/Oregon Daily Emerald)
Oregon center fielder Connor Hoffman grimaces as he tries to outrun the ball to first base in Saturdays match-up against the California Golden Bears. (Jeff Matarrese/Oregon Daily Emerald)
Oregon second baseman Aaron Payne dives after a ball that would escape his reach against Cal on Saturday, April 28, 2012. The Bears kept up with the Ducks until Payne’s 2-out RBI single in the bottom of the seventh gave them the winning run. (Jeff Matarrese/Oregon Daily Emerald)
Oregon’s Ryon Healy protests an out call at second against Cal on Saturday, April 28, 2012. The Ducks would go on to win 3-2. (Jeff Matarrese/Oregon Daily Emerald)
Oregon freshman starter Jake Reed on the mound Saturday, April 28, 2012 against the California Golden Bears at PK Park. Reed pitched for seven innings and recorded his fifth win of the season. (Jeff Matarrese/Oregon Daily Emerald)
Oregon’s Connor Hoffman congratulates teammate Aaron Payne from a distance after he batted in the winning run for the Ducks in their 3-2 victory over the California Golden Bears on Saturday, April 28, 2012. (Jeff Matarrese/Oregon Daily Emerald)
