The Oregon Ducks baseball team continues to turn heads.
Just two weeks removed from ending No. 1 Arizona State’s undefeated streak, then beating No. 22 Stanford two games out of three, the Ducks (23-12 overall, 6-6 Pacific-10 Conference) have done it again. This time in winning a series with No. 1 UCLA (27-5, 5-4) in Los Angeles.
Oregon took the first two games of the series 5-4, 8-4 before losing on Sunday 5-1, but the damage was done as the Ducks earned perhaps their biggest series win of the year.
In game one of the series, sophomore pitcher Tyler Anderson and reliever Scott McGough combined to hold UCLA at bay when it mattered most. Anderson lasted 4 2/3 innings,
giving up five hits and four runs.
Anderson also struck out five batters, but it was McGough who would save the day. McGough pitched the final 4 1/3 innings, giving up no runs. In the bottom of the ninth, he managed to get out of a jam with runners on first and second by striking out the final batter to earn Oregon’s second victory over a No. 1 team.
The Duck batters pounded out eight hits against UCLA ace Gerrit Cole (who the Ducks beat last year as well), managing to score five runs on the 100-mph-throwing pitcher. Catcher Eddie Rodriguez was 2 for 5, Steven Packard added two hits and two runs scored, and Ryan Hambright was 2 for 3 with an RBI.
In game two, Oregon continued its hot hitting, racking up 13 hits on Bruin pitching. The Ducks built an 8-1 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning before UCLA could respond, getting two runs in the bottom of the seventh and another run in the bottom of the ninth.
For the Ducks, pitcher Justin LaTempa earned the win, going 6 1/3 innings, and giving up three runs on three hits. Trevor Bauer took the loss for UCLA after surrendering 12 hits and eight runs.
From the plate, second baseman Danny Pulfer hit his second home run of the year in a 2-for-5 effort with two runs scored; center fielder Curtis Raulinaitis was 2 for 4 with a home run and four RBI, and Packard added another two hits.
In the series finale on Sunday, the Ducks fell back to earth a bit in their 5-1 loss. Pitcher Alex Keudell took the loss, giving up a home run and five runs. Only one run was earned, however, as the Ducks had two fielding errors that cost four of the runs to score in the first inning. Relievers Christian Jones and Madison Boer pitched the final two innings, allowing no runs and just one hit.
From the plate, Oregon had six hits, as the team was out-hit for the first time in the series (7-6). Shortstop KC Serna was 2 for 4 to lead the team in hits, but it was Pulfer’s sacrifice hit in the eighth inning that broke a combined shutout from pitchers Rob Rasmussen and Erik Goeddel.
The Ducks take a break from Pac-10 play, traveling to Gonzaga in Spokane, Wash., for a two-game series starting Tuesday.
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