Oregon starter Madison Boer (1-7) was chased from the mound after 2.1 innings, and the Oregon Ducks lost 10-2 to the Washington State Cougars to complete the series sweep.
Oregon (14-34 overall, 4-17 Pacific-10 Conference) allowed eight runs in the first five innings as the second place Cougars (25-20, 14-7) have now clawed to within 2.5 games of the Arizona State Sun Devils (38-11, 16-5).
Boer allowed four runs on five hits, followed by freshman reliever Alex Keudell giving up three runs on three hits. Junior Zack Thornton gave up another run, and freshman Chris Garrison gave up the final two runs in the seventh inning on three hits for the final score.
After the Cougars scored four runs in the third inning, Oregon cut the deficit in half with two runs in the top of the fifth. Freshman right fielder Antony Kreitz doubled off the right field wall to lead off the inning. Sophomore catcher Mitch Karraker singled him home, and then Karraker scored on an RBI single from junior left fielder Jett Hart.
But the Cougars responded with four more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to push their lead to 8-2, and two more runs in the seventh inning put the game on ice.
Freshman first baseman Darrell Hunter was 2-for-4 from the plate with a double to lead the Ducks. Hart added a 2-for-2 day with an RBI.
The sweep was Oregon’s fifth straight loss, and the team has still not won a Pac-10 series. The Ducks travel to Arizona State this weekend to play the No. 3 Sun Devils starting on May 15 at 6:30 p.m.
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