Saturday, May 9
Pullman, Wash.
7:00 PM
University of Oregon
14-32, 4-15
3
at
5
Washington State
23-20, 12-7
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
6th innning6
7th innning7
8th innning8
9th innning9
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
Oregon Ducks
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
3
10
2
Washington State
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
2
X
5
7
0
Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com
Oregon Comeback Falls Short At WSU
05/10/09 | Baseball
PULLMAN, Wash. ? Oregon scored three runs in the top of the ninth and brought the game-winning run to the plate, but it was too little too late as the Ducks could not erase a five-run deficit, dropping the series opener to Washington State, 5-3, on Saturday night at Bailey-Brayton Field.
A pitching duel between two of the Pac-10's top starters went in favor of Washington State, as left-hander Matt Way (7-4) pitched eight and 1/3 innings of three-run baseball, allowing eight hits, but racking up nine strikeouts.
Oregon starter Erik Stavert (5-4) took the loss, tossing 7 and 2/3 innings and allowing five runs ? only two earned ? on seven hits and two walks.
The Ducks (14-32, 4-15) headed into the ninth trailing 5-0 as two Oregon errors in the bottom of the seventh allowed the Cougars (23-20, 12-7) to score three unearned runs in the inning.
With Way on the mound in an attempt to close out his second game of the year, Oregon's freshman class rallied in the lineup to finally get to WSU's starter. Danny Pulfer and KC Serna got on base with Pulfer's single to right and Serna's double down the left field line ? his fifth of the season. Freshman Paul Eshleman's groundout RBI plated Pulfer for the Ducks' first run of the game, while freshman Antony Kreitz's RBI single to right brought Serna home.
That spelled the end for Way, who was lifted in favor of closer Seth Harvey. That didn't shake Darrell Hunter, who picked up his second hit of the game and kept the inning going with a single to right. Harvey struck out pinch hitter Mitch Karraker for the inning's second out, but then surrendered an RBI single to Josh Hogan as Kreitz came home. With Hunter and Hogan on base, Oregon brought pinch hitter Curtis Raulinaitis to the plate, representing the game-winning run, but Harvey coaxed Raulinaitis to fly out to center field ending the game and picking up his second save of the year.
Oregon found itself trailing 5-0 after Stavert had pitched six innings of shutout baseball. Washington State's Shea Vucinic led off the bottom of the seventh by reaching first on an error when a fly ball to right was misjudged by Kreitz.
Stavert looked to regain control by retiring WSU's following two batters, but the potential third out wasn't to be as the inning remained alive when Serna failed to field Jared Prince's grounder. With two runners on and two outs, Michael Weber returned Stavert's pitch back up the middle to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Jay Ponciano drove a two-run single into left field, extending WSU's lead to 3-0.
In the eighth, WSU added two more runs when Greg Lagreid's two-out, two-run single increased the Cougars lead to five runs.
Oregon outhit WSU 10-7, as Hogan led the Ducks with a 3-for-4 performance, while Hunter and Serna also had two hits apiece.
Ponciano and Garry Kuykendall led Washington State with two hits apiece.
Oregon and Washington State will play the second game of their series starting at 2 p.m., tomorrow from Bailey-Brayton Field. The broadcast can be heard on KUGN 590 in Eugene, and is available live on the O-Zone at www.GoDucks.com
A pitching duel between two of the Pac-10's top starters went in favor of Washington State, as left-hander Matt Way (7-4) pitched eight and 1/3 innings of three-run baseball, allowing eight hits, but racking up nine strikeouts.
Oregon starter Erik Stavert (5-4) took the loss, tossing 7 and 2/3 innings and allowing five runs ? only two earned ? on seven hits and two walks.
The Ducks (14-32, 4-15) headed into the ninth trailing 5-0 as two Oregon errors in the bottom of the seventh allowed the Cougars (23-20, 12-7) to score three unearned runs in the inning.
With Way on the mound in an attempt to close out his second game of the year, Oregon's freshman class rallied in the lineup to finally get to WSU's starter. Danny Pulfer and KC Serna got on base with Pulfer's single to right and Serna's double down the left field line ? his fifth of the season. Freshman Paul Eshleman's groundout RBI plated Pulfer for the Ducks' first run of the game, while freshman Antony Kreitz's RBI single to right brought Serna home.
That spelled the end for Way, who was lifted in favor of closer Seth Harvey. That didn't shake Darrell Hunter, who picked up his second hit of the game and kept the inning going with a single to right. Harvey struck out pinch hitter Mitch Karraker for the inning's second out, but then surrendered an RBI single to Josh Hogan as Kreitz came home. With Hunter and Hogan on base, Oregon brought pinch hitter Curtis Raulinaitis to the plate, representing the game-winning run, but Harvey coaxed Raulinaitis to fly out to center field ending the game and picking up his second save of the year.
Oregon found itself trailing 5-0 after Stavert had pitched six innings of shutout baseball. Washington State's Shea Vucinic led off the bottom of the seventh by reaching first on an error when a fly ball to right was misjudged by Kreitz.
Stavert looked to regain control by retiring WSU's following two batters, but the potential third out wasn't to be as the inning remained alive when Serna failed to field Jared Prince's grounder. With two runners on and two outs, Michael Weber returned Stavert's pitch back up the middle to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Jay Ponciano drove a two-run single into left field, extending WSU's lead to 3-0.
In the eighth, WSU added two more runs when Greg Lagreid's two-out, two-run single increased the Cougars lead to five runs.
Oregon outhit WSU 10-7, as Hogan led the Ducks with a 3-for-4 performance, while Hunter and Serna also had two hits apiece.
Ponciano and Garry Kuykendall led Washington State with two hits apiece.
Oregon and Washington State will play the second game of their series starting at 2 p.m., tomorrow from Bailey-Brayton Field. The broadcast can be heard on KUGN 590 in Eugene, and is available live on the O-Zone at www.GoDucks.com
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Way, M (7-4)
L: Stavert, Erik (5-4)
S: Harvey, S (2)
Batting:
2B: Serna, KC 1
RBI: Eshleman, Paul 1 ; Kreitz, Antony 1 ; Hogan, Josh 1
SH: Hart, Jett 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Pulfer, Danny 1 ; Serna, KC 1 ; Kreitz, Antony 1
SB: Pulfer, Danny 1
CS: Rodriguez, Eddie 1
Batting:
RBI: Lagreid, G 2 ; Weber, M 1 ; Ponciano, J 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Kuykendall 1 ; Vucinich, S 2 ; Prince, J 1 ; Weber, M 1
CS: Kuykendall 1
HBP: Peterson, R 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
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