The Oregon Ducks baseball team did for the first time what it couldn’t do for the past 11 Pacific-10 series since being reinstated: win a conference series.
The Ducks did it in dramatic fashion, scoring eight runs in the final two innings in the first game of Saturday’s double-header to clinch the series against the No. 22 Stanford Cardinal (14-13, 4-5).
It started Friday, with Oregon (21-11 overall, 4-5 Pac-10) winning 5-2. Sophomore starter Tyler Anderson (5-3) earned the win, giving up two runs in five and two-thirds innings of action. Reliever Scott McGough pitched the rest of the way, holding the Cardinal at bay by allowing no hits over the final three and a third innings. From the plate, second baseman Danny Pulfer hit a two-run home run in the third inning, and KC Serna went three for four with two runs scored and walk.
Then Saturday, Oregon managed to win its first Pac-10 series since sweeping Washington at home on April 25-26, 1980. Oregon starter Justin LaTempa lasted three and one-third innings, giving up five runs on six hits. Reliever Zack Thornton pitched the next four and two-thirds innings, giving up another run, and the Ducks entered the eighth inning down 6-1. Oregon scored three runs on one hit in the eighth. That was followed by another five in the ninth, thanks to clutch hitting by freshman Jack Marder. Marder finished with three hits, two runs scored and four RBI in the 9-6 win.
Oregon nearly pulled off another comeback in the ninth in game three, getting a bases-loaded walk with two outs to draw within one run at 2-1, but Serna popped out to second base to end the game with the bases loaded. Pitcher Alex Keudell earned the loss, giving up two runs on seven hits in six innings of action.
Oregon now heads to Los Angeles to play the UCLA Bruins this Friday.
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