Mitchell Tolman’s fifth inning triple combined with Arizona State’s three errors and 10 runners left on base helped Oregon (36-14, 14-8 Pac-12) beat ASU (24-21, 12-10) 5-4 in the first game of a three-game series Friday night in Tempe, Ariz.
Tolman carried the Ducks offensively with three RBIs and two runs scored and Josh Graham went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Reigning Pac-12 player of the week Shaun Chase went 1-for-4 while hitting third, up from his usual sixth spot in the order.
Brian Serven went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and was one of three Sun Devils with multi-hit games.
Tommy Thorpe (8-4) gave up two runs on four hits with two walks and five strikeouts over five innings. Relievers Darrell Hunter, Jordan Spencer, Garrett Cleavinger and Jake Reed combined to pitch four innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits.
Brett Lilek (4-4) gave up five runs (three earned) on four hits with a walk and nine strikeouts through seven innings for Arizona State.
Oregon got the scoring started in the second inning when Graham singled home Tolman, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Graham scored two batters later on an error on an Austin Grebeck grounder.
The Sun Devils answered in the bottom of the inning. Serven singled to left center with the bases loaded to score two runs, tying the game with no outs. Thorpe retired the next three batters to get out of the inning and limit the damage.
A two-out rally resulted in three more runs for the Ducks in the fifth. With two men on, Tolman tripled to left center to drive in two runs. Tolman scored later on the play on a throwing error to make the score 5-2.
Thorpe was pulled after five innings and replaced by Hunter. Hunter gave up consecutive singles to begin the sixth and gave up a run when Tucker Esmay grounded out to score Trever Allen.
Arizona State got another run in the eighth after the Ducks had two on with no outs but couldn’t add to their lead. Johnny Sewald reached on an error by defensive replacement Kevin Minjares at third, allowing Drew Stankiewicz to score and bring the score to 5-4. Cleavinger escaped the inning with two Sun Devils on base and left it up to the closer Reed in the ninth. Reed sat down the Sun Devils in order to preserve the win and pick up his 11th save of the season.
With the win, Oregon increased its lead in the Pac-12 standings to two games over the Sun Devils for third place.
Jeff Gold (9-0) and Ryan Kellogg (6-2) are Saturday’s probable starters.
Follow Madison Guernsey on Twitter @guernseymd