After a 10-run win on Friday night the Ducks were locked in a pitchers’ duel for much of today’s game versus Loyola Marymount. The Lions led the game until the ninth inning, when the Oregon offense came alive and led the Ducks to a 5-3 come-from-behind victory.
Matt Krook was on the mound for the Ducks and had good defensive support behind him unlike his first Oregon start against Hawaii. Krook retired the first 10 batters he faced this afternoon until he walked LMU’s Austin Miller in the fourth. Krook then surrendered the Lions’ first hit of the game to David Edwards in the same inning. Krook surrendered 3 runs (all earned) but kept the Ducks in the game throughout his outing. He tallied 11 strikeouts in his 6.1 innings.
With two outs and runners on first and second in the fourth inning, Tyler Cohen hit a triple to right center field. But two runs were all the Lions could get as Krook struck out the next batter.
In the top of the fifth inning, Oregon’s Kyle Garlick doubled to left field and advanced to third on a wild pitch. After A.J. Balta struck out, freshman Jack Kruger came up and grounded the ball to third. Garlick got caught in a pickle between third base and home, ending the offensive momentum for the Ducks that inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Lions added one more run. On a 2-0 count with David Fletcher on third, Tommy Cheek grounded out to Kevin Minjares at shortstop to score the run. That would be the last run the Lions would score all game.
In the top of the seventh, Garlick had Baumgartner on first with one out. On a 1-0 count, Garlick connected for a big home run over LMU’s “blue monster” in left field. This was Garlick’s and Oregon’s first long ball of the season.
Following Garlick was A.J. Balta, who continued the seventh inning rally. Balta tripled to right center, becoming the tying run 90 feet away from home with still only one out. J.B. Bryant was called on to pinch hit for Kruger and hit a ground ball to the pitcher. But Balta was too far off of third and the pitcher decided to go for the out at third. For the second time in the game, Oregon had a runner caught between third and home to end a rally.
The baserunning miscues wouldn’t hurt the Ducks in this game, though. In the eighth, Connor Hofmann singled to left center and was moved over in thanks to a Kevin Minjares sacrifice bunt. Later in the inning, Aaron Payne hit a hard single up the middle on a 1-1 count to score Hofmann and tie the game.
In the bottom of the inning, Fletcher failed to successfully bunt Ted Boeke over to second as he popped up the ball in fair territory. It landed just in front of Darrell Hunter, who threw out Boeke at second base because he didn’t know if the ball would drop or be caught. Then, Fletcher was caught stealing second from a strong throw from Shaun Chase. Now with two outs, Miller tripled to left field over the head of Balta but would be stranded at third.
Going into the ninth, the Ducks started a two-out rally with Balta singling to right field. Shaun Chase would be replaced by Steven Packard and Packard delivered, singling to right center to put runners on the corners. With two outs, head coach George Horton went to freshman Austin Grebeck to pinch hit for Hofmann. Grebeck was hit by the pitch to load the bases. Freshman Mark Karaviotis came up next and, on a 2-1 pitch, singled to center to score two Ducks and give Oregon a 5-3 lead.
Jake Reed replaced Hunter in the game to close the door. Reed pitched a solid ninth inning, surrendering one hit and striking out one to earn his second save of the season. He has yet to give up a run in his 5.1 innings this season.
Darrell Hunter earned the win and Cohen was saddled with the loss. The Ducks clinched the series with today’s win and will have a chance to sweep on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Follow Andrew Bantly on Twitter @abant3