In the Ducks’ first game as a top-10 team since 2015, they used a potent offensive start, scoring nine runs in a span of three innings, to top the San Jose State Spartans 11-7 at PK Park.
RJ Gordon got the rock for the Ducks, entering the evening 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA, and he continued this efficiency with a crisp scoreless first inning. For the Spartans, Sean Prozell got the nod despite entering the game with a 36.00 ERA. The righty looked sharp in the first, however, sending the Ducks down quietly.
Accuracy issues plagued Gordon and the Ducks in the second. Back-to-back hit by pitches and a passed ball by Sam Olsson set up second and third for the Spartans with just one out. Reece Hernandez clutched up next with a groundout to second scoring the first run of the game.
Scott Ellis took over on the mound for the Ducks in the third and immediately ran into trouble. Two one-out walks set up first and second for the Spartans best hitter, Ruben Ibarra. Ibarra pulverized a two-strike fastball to center and Connor Konishi followed it with a single just past the outstretched arm of Joshua Kasevich to make the score 3-0.
“I think they (the Spartans) look at playing at PK Park as an unbelievable opportunity with nothing to lose, and they sure played like it,” head coach Mark Wasikowski said.
Oregon’s offense finally pulled through in the third. Anthony Hall cashed in for the Ducks with a line drive into the right-center gap. A bad route from the Spartan right fielder allowed the ball to roll to the wall, letting two runs score, and Hall to move up to third.
Later in the inning, Aaron Zavala sent a blistering triple to the right-field corner that scored Kenyon Yovan to make the score 4-3. Kasevich came up next and did his job by sending a lazy fly ball to right field that was deep enough to score Zavala.
San Jose State got one of those back in the fourth. Theo Hardy doubled down the right-field line and with Hernandez running on the play, he scored easily to cut the lead to 5-4 as the Spartans crept back.
“San Jose State is a bunch of competitive and tough guys,” Wasikowski said. “They played a great ballgame today.”
Ben Polack came in for the Spartans in the fourth. After a lead-off Sam Novitske bloop single, Olsson, a Eugene native, stepped up for his hometown and delivered, booming a two-run homer to left-field to give Oregon some breathing room.
“That felt good,” Olsson said. “To be honest, I didn’t think I got it that well, but it felt good. I think I got a little more left in the bat.”
On the next pitch, Grant doubled off the left-field wall to re-spark the rally. A wild pitch later in the inning allowed him to score easily, but Polack’s troubles weren’t done. A pair of walks and a hit by pitch gifted the Ducks the bases loaded for Kasevich who lined a sacrifice fly to center field to grow the lead to 9-4.
Ibarra sent a moonshot over the left-field bullpen to cut the lead to 9-5 in the fifth. Ibarra came into the game leading the Spartans in most offensive categories and he has now accounted for 5/7 Spartan home runs on the year.
Olsson led off the eighth with a four-pitch walk, and was immediately replaced by Jack Haley on the base paths. Later in the inning with runners at second and third, Hall stepped up and sent a ground ball past the drawn-in Spartan infield to extend the lead to 11-5. Hall finished the day three for five with a triple and four RBIs.
Andrew Mosiello came in to pitch in the ninth, yet he didn’t have his normal dominant arsenal. He allowed two runs in the inning, and despite sending the potential tying run to the plate, he closed the door on the Spartans to solidify the 11-7 win.
Oregon improves to 25-9 on the year, with a chance to sweep the two-game doubleheader over the Spartans tomorrow at noon in Eugene.
