Oregon baseball’s lineup responded to a 3-0 midweek loss to the University of Portland last week with a nine-run performance, but in the return game 116 miles north, the Ducks’ pitchers couldn’t capitalize.

The Ducks’ (24-9) pitching staff allowed eight walks and hit three batters, allowing Portland (20-10) to take the slugfest 13-9, thanks to 10 hits. Redshirt freshman Naulivou Lauaki Jr. (3-4, 2 2B HR) headlined the productive 13-hit evening for Oregon’s lineup with a breakout performance, but the Ducks now stare down their highest-ranked opponent of the season, No. 19 Nebraska, on a 1-4 skid.

Freshman Bradyen Jaksa provided the Oregon lineup the early spark it needed, seizing his move up to second in the order by turning on a high fastball for a solo home run.

The Ducks stayed hot in the second inning, with Lauaki overcoming a double play with a hard-hit double and Burke-Lee Mabeus giving Oregon a 2-0 lead with a double of his own.

The Pilots strung together a response in the bottom of the inning, when a one-out hit-by-pitch quickly spiraled into a bases-loaded jam thanks to a single and a walk. Starter Miles Gosztola bounced back with a strikeout, but Portland right fielder Cody Nitowitz cashed in by grounding a single up the middle to tie the game 2-2.

The top of the Ducks’ lineup kept the offensive breakout going, with Jax Gimenez reaching on a hit-by-pitch and Brayden Jaksa advancing him to second base with his second well-hit ball into left field. Drew Smith got all of a breaking pitch low in the zone to re-take sole possession of the Ducks’ home run lead and put Oregon ahead 5-2.

Gosztola recorded two quick outs in the bottom of the third inning, but another sequence of a hit-by-pitch and a walk sparked a Pilots rally. Portland third baseman Leo Cote crushed a two-run double into the gap in left-center field, and Frankie Rutigliano tied the game 5-5 by fighting off an inside pitch that landed in shallow right field.

Sophomore Tanner Bradley relieved Gosztola, but Nitowitz doubled for his second RBI of the game and a 6-5 Pilots lead.

Both pitching staffs finally settled in to string together clean innings, with redshirt junior Ky Hokinson stewarding Portland through the sixth inning, and Bradley and Toby Twist each giving the Ducks a scoreless inning.

Portland broke the trend in the bottom of the sixth, taking advantage of Jaksa losing track of a pop-up along the first base line. A walk and a single loaded the bases, and second baseman Jonas Salk put the Pilots ahead 7-5 when the Ducks couldn’t get both ends of a double play on a difficult groundball to shortstop Maddox Molony.

Lauaki, who has racked up impressive exit velocities in a small sample size, finally broke through for his first career home run in the seventh inning, turning an 0-2 pitch off the end of the bat into an opposite-field line drive and a 7-6 deficit.

After the Pilots bounced back with two outs, including a potentially momentum-swinging caught-stealing, the Ducks started a two-out rally. Gimenez worked a walk, and Oregon followed it with a hit parade, starting with a Jaksa single and ending with both coming in on singles from Ryan Cooney and Smith to put the Ducks ahead 8-7.

Luke Morgan entered in the bottom of the inning to protect Oregon’s newfound lead. With two outs and a runner on second due to a walk and a stolen base, Morgan walked another batter on five pitches. He worked ahead of designated hitter Cole Katayama-Stall 0-2, but the sophomore made him pay for his command issues with a three-run home run to re-take the lead.

After Morgan walked the next batter on four pitches, Michael Meckna took over. Meckna allowed a single up the middle before Salk broke the game open with the Pilots’ second three-run home run of the inning to take a 13-8 lead.

Oregon clawed back a run, but the Pilots’ seventh inning proved too much, and Portland sealed the two-game sweep.

First pitch for Friday’s home series opener against No. 19 Nebraska is scheduled for 5:05 p.m.