Oregon baseball head coach George Horton wanted a sweep over the weekend against UCLA.
This wasn’t what he had in mind.
The Ducks (23-23, 5-13 Pac-10) lost all three games to the Bruins (27-16, 14-7 Pac-10), leaving everyone frustrated.
“To get swept at home is embarrassing,” second baseman Danny Pulfer said. “It’s embarrassing. To have the crowd come out on a Sunday, on Mother’s Day … if we were going to play like that, I wish we would have told them, ‘Hey, spend the day with your mom and don’t come out to the yard.’” @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=94835&SPID=11401&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205148629@@
Two UCLA pitchers threw complete games, including Adam Plutko in the series closer on Sunday. The freshman put together the most dominant performance of the weekend, shutting out the Ducks, while allowing just two hits and striking out seven. @@http://www.goducks.com/downloads2/416019.htm?ATCLID=205148629&SPSID=94835&SPID=11401&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500@@
Oregon starter junior Alex Keudell put together a strong outing of his own, and the game remained tied at 0-0 headed into the top of the eighth. By then, senior Kellen Moen had come in to replace Keudell, and UCLA finally pushed across a run when leftfielder Cody Keefer singled to score first baseman Dean Espy.
The Bruins would erupt for three more runs in the ninth, and Oregon simply could not solve Plutko in what turned out to be a 4-0 defeat.
“We got dominated,” Horton said. “I thought it was one of the weakest offensive efforts that I’ve seen in a long time. I’m very disappointed and upset about it.”
With Oregon junior Madison Boer (3-4) on the mound Saturday, the Bruins wasted no time getting on the board. Leadoff hitter Jeff Gelalich doubled in the top of the first inning, and eventually came home on a fielder’s choice RBI from first baseman Dean Espy. Just like that, UCLA had grabbed a 1-0 lead. @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=94835&SPID=11401&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205148418@@
Boer managed to settle down after that rocky beginning, but it quickly became clear that the Ducks would struggle to score against UCLA ace Trevor Bauer (9-2). The junior already had five strikeouts heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, using an array of pitches to flummox Oregon hitters. @@http://www.goducks.com/downloads2/415999.htm?ATCLID=205148418&SPSID=94835&SPID=11401&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500@@
Freshman first baseman Ryon Healy, however, remained confident as he stepped to the plate in the bottom of the fourth with one out and the bases empty. Bauer left a fastball low over the middle of the plate, and Healy blasted it over the left field wall to tie the game at one.
“He elevates his fastball a lot,” Healy said. “Luckily he left it low enough for me to get some air on it.”
Though it finally looked as if Oregon had gained momentum, UCLA bounced right back in the next inning. Boer walked catcher Steve Rodriguez to lead off the inning, and shortstop Pat Valaika followed with a double to place runners at second and third. Second baseman Kevin Williams came through with a single, scoring both runners, and Oregon was behind once again.
Those runs would be the last of the game for either team, and the Bruins left with a 3-1 victory. Bauer threw a complete game, giving up just four hits and striking out 12. For Boer, meanwhile, it was another frustrating loss that could be chalked up to a lack of run support.
“He usually gives us a chance to win,” Horton said. “He walked the leadoff hitter after we scored, which is kind of a negative, but he’s not a machine … he certainly pitched well enough to win.”
The same could be said of starter Tyler Anderson (6-2) on Friday, but it was certainly not the dominant performance many have become accustomed to. The junior lasted just 5.1 innings, giving up three earned runs and walking four. @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=94835&SPID=11401&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205148117@@
He departed in the top of the sixth inning with the Ducks trailing 3-0, and the bullpen did him no favors by giving up four more runs in the 7-1 loss. Yet Anderson placed the blame solely on himself. @@http://www.goducks.com/downloads2/415945.htm?ATCLID=205148117&SPSID=94835&SPID=11401&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500@@
“I approached it differently than I probably should have,” Anderson said. “Just trying to be too perfect, and that’s what happens when you try to do that.”
Of course, Anderson’s struggles were just one facet of the loss. Oregon’s only run came when freshman Aaron Jones singled Healy home from third, and Horton was displeased with the team’s overall performance.
“We didn’t play well at all,” Horton said. “They beat us in every phase of the game … (we) gave them free bases, free runs, and free outs.”
There were plenty of scoring opportunities, but Oregon simply did not come through when it counted.
“We got on base, we just didn’t have any timely hitting,” Healy said. “You know, story of our lives.”
Horton had an analogy to sum it all up.
“We set the table,” he said. “We just didn’t eat.”
Stats of the Weekend
31: Consecutive games Danny Pulfer reached base safely at least once. The streak ended Sunday when he went 0-4
2: Hits for Oregon on Sunday, their lowest single game total of the season
5.1: Innings pitched by Tyler Anderson Friday, his shortest appearance of the season
Oregon Ducks baseball struggles at plate during sweep by UCLA
Daily Emerald
May 7, 2011
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