Another sign things have changed with the Oregon baseball team came this weekend when the Ducks swept the Fresno State Bulldogs in a four-game series in Fresno, Calif.
Sparked by 45 hits over the four games, Oregon blew the Bulldogs out in every game, by scores of 7-2, 8-4, 5-2 and 8-3, respectively.
In the first game on Friday, sophomore Tyler Anderson (2-1) started on the mound for Oregon. He went eight scoreless innings, scattering seven hits and striking out 10 batters.
From the plate, catcher Eddie Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. Oregon scored five runs in the top of the second inning, and Fresno didn’t score until the bottom of the ninth off of reliever Ryan Hambright.
In game two, Zach Thornton (2-0) earned the win in six innings of work, allowing nine hits and four runs. Sophomore shortstop KC Serna was 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI, and Curtis Raulinaitis went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Closer Drew Gagnier closed out the game, going two innings for his second save of the year.
In Oregon’s 5-2 win in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader, Scott McGough (2-0) got the win in six innings of work, giving up one run and striking out seven Bulldogs. From the plate, Rodriguez continued his hot hitting, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Shawn Peterson added a 2-for-3 performance with two RBIs.
In the final game of the series on Sunday, the Ducks completed the sweep, scoring five runs over the last three innings. Alex Keudell (3-0) went 6 1-3 innings, striking out four batters and giving up two runs, and the Ducks broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the sixth inning. At the plate, Serna went 3-for-4 and J.J. Altobelli went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI with a double and a triple.
Next up for the Ducks is a four-game series with Seattle, starting Friday at PK Park in Eugene.
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