Oregon (18-12, 5-4 Pac-12) played two games against Fresno State (15-11, 4-5 Mountain West) at PK Park on Saturday. The second game featured a 40-minute rain delay, Oregon came away with the win to even the series at two games each.
Jonny DeLuca had two RBIs in both games, but fans would be hard pressed to final a more memorable play than Gabe Matthew’s walk-off hit in the ninth in the second game.
Game 1
With the game tied at three in the seventh inning and neither team able to pull away, the Ducks were looking to break through. With no outs and Tiegen Jones pitching, Max Foxcroft singled, then Sam Novitske was hit by a pitch on the knee, went down hard in serious pain, but still ran. Both advanced on a sac-bunt from Tanner Smith. Ryan Sullivan replaced Jones, and walked Gabe Matthews, which left the bases loaded for DeLuca.
DeLuca didn’t waste much time, hitting a single down the right field line, which knocked in Novitske and Foxcroft to give Oregon its largest lead of the game at 5-3.
It was a redemption moment for DeLuca, who had missed a fly ball in centerfield earlier in the game, which eventually set up Fresno State’s two-run rally in the fifth inning.
But thanks to DeLuca’s efforts, Oregon pulled away from Fresno State to win 5-3. Head coach George Horton was pleased with DeLuca’s overall performance.
“He’s coming along,” Horton said. “I think Jonny’s starting to heat up a little. But I keep saying that, and he’s just on the verge, and boy do we need that.”
Cullen Kafka (3-2) had a solid seven-inning outing for Oregon, throwing seven strikeouts and two walks. Davis Moore started for the Bulldogs, who used a six total pitchers in the game. Moore gave up five hits, two earned runs and walked four in five innings.
Both teams were able to put runners on the bases early, but neither could gain much momentum. Oregon loaded the bases in the first two innings. The second time around, Spencer Steer was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to knock in Aaron Zavala.
The Bulldogs responded in the following at-bat. Miles Tomczak launched a double into left-center, then moved to third on a grounder. He scored on a fielder’s choice, giving Fresno the first run of the game.
The following inning, Oregon tacked on another run, all with two outs. Zavala walked then advanced to third on a single from Campbell. Max Foxcroft singled up the middle, which went just past the outstretched glove of second baseman Nolan Dempsey. Zavala came across home plate for the second time to take a 2-1 lead.
In the fifth, Oregon would tie the game. It started with a mistake from Foxcroft who hit the ball into right field, then tried to advance to second base, but was thrown out easily by Tomczak. Though Campbell advanced to third on the play, it gave two outs to Fresno State. Fortunately for the Ducks, Novitske walked to bring up Smith, who tied the game with a single to right.
Game 2
Down one run in the bottom of the ninth, with the rain pouring down, Oregon had just one final chance to score. Fresno State had gone ahead once again, this time off Nico Tellache, on a single up the middle from Nate Thimjon, just past the diving Steer, which allowed Auston Chastain to score from second to take a 7-6 lead.
The Bulldogs had used so many pitchers, they bought their third baseman, McCarthy Tatum, onto the mound to close the game. Against the odds, Oregon loaded the bases, and McCarthy intentionally walked Spencer Steer to bring up Gabe Matthews.
Matthews’ single flew past the second baseman, knocking in Novitske and and Foxcroft. The dugout erupted, with teammates and coaches swarming him.
“One of our best players against one of their best players, and Gabe found a way to get it done,” Horton said.
Oregon and Fresno State went back-and-forth the entire game, but Matthews’ final play, which put him at four RBIs on three hits, proved to be the difference. Fresno State finished with 13 hits, Oregon had eight, and both teams left 13 runners on base.
“This is a grind it out team,” Matthews said. “The entire time I knew we were going to win that game, it was just when we going to get that go ahead hit.”
The Bulldogs got on the board quickly, as they loaded the bases to go up 3-0 in the first inning. It started with two singles and a walk against starting pitcher Brett Walker. McCarthy Tatum knocked in the first run on a fielder’s choice, then Nolan Dempsey brought in two more runs on a double to left center.
Kyle Pruhsmeier started for Fresno State, but was pulled after two innings when Oregon put up two quick runs. He hit Smith with a pitch, then walked Steer. Matthews then doubled into right field, bringing home both baserunners to cut the lead 3-2.
Oregon tied the game in the second, after Zavala forced a walk, then went to second on a single from Campbell. Foxcroft advanced the runners on a sac-bunt, and was barely out at first base. Cardinal then walked Novitske, and threw a wild pitch, which allowed Zavala to come across the plate to tie the game at three.
The following at-bat, the Ducks took a one-run lead when Evan Williams doubled, and went to third on a single from Zavala. Campbell’s squeeze bunt brought Williams across home plate.
After a 40-minute rain delay in between the fourth and fifth innings, the teams resumed play, with Cole Stringer replacing Walker to start the fifth. Though Stringer did give up three runs, he did have six strikeouts in three innings. Horton was glad to see Stringer produce quality pitches, considering the injuries he sustained earlier this season.
“His velocity was as good as it’s ever been at 90,” Horton said.
Fresno State regained the lead in the sixth inning, after EJ Andrews tied the game on a double. Though Stringer had back-to-back strikeouts, one of his throws got past Campbell, and Andrews ran to home to take a 5-4 lead. But Jonny DeLuca came up big again for Oregon. He hit a homer to right field off Jaime Arias to tie the game at five with his first home run of the year.
The intensity seemed to be driven up a notch in the eighth inning. Ashford, on second base, went to steal third. Campbell’s throw from home went way over Novitske, and Ashford easily scored to give the Bulldogs a 6-5 lead. But Oregon tied it yet again the next inning. Steer and Matthews both singled, then DeLuca reached first on a fielder’s choice; Matthews was thrown out at second as Steer came across to tie the game.
“It was a victory I think this team needed, for a lot of different reasons,” Horton said. “We showed some toughness. And I think we should schedule more doubleheaders cause we seem to be pretty good in double headers.”
Follow August Howell on Twitter @howell_august
