The No. 16 Ducks entered Friday’s contest on a hot streak. Oregon has been moving up the college baseball rankings, winning three straight series and nine of their last 11. 

The Ducks bats were no match for right-handed pitcher, Chase Silseth who was lights out for Arizona, only allowing one run off of three hits and striking out 11. 

Arizona got their bats going early in the third when Donta Williams doubled to left, driving in Nik McClaughry. Still with no outs in the third, Arizona produced another run thanks to a single up the middle by Jacob Berry which scored Williams. 

Most days, the Ducks can rely on the always reliable designated hitter Kenyon Yovan for some offensive production, but Friday was a different story. Yovan went 0-5, striking out four times. 

The Ducks left eight men on base and committed two errors which proved to be costly. The Ducks’ second error came from shortstop Josh Kasevich. The error plated Arizona’s fifth and game-winning run.

In the fifth Tanner Smith was able to poke one out past second to score Robby Ashford who led off the inning with a double to left-center. 

Heading into the ninth, Oregon was down 5-1 and feeling defeated. An Ashford walk followed by a Josiah Cromwick single gave the Ducks life. Coming off the bench as a pinch hitter, Anthony Hall stepped in.

On a 0-0 count, Hall was first-pitch swinging and pulled a line-drive to left for a home run to pull the Ducks back within striking distance, 5-4. But Arizona held the lead and walked away with the win. 

Robert Ahlstrom suffered his second loss of the season for Oregon, while Silseth advanced to 4-0 for Arizona. Vince Vannelle got the save.

The two teams are back at it at 3 p.m. on Saturday for the second game of this three-game set.