Freshmen Pitchers Lock Up Win

Monday, February 20

Fresno, Calif.

6:05 PM

University of Oregon

2-2

Fresno State

2-2

Oregon

Fresno State

Photo by: Kiel Maddox

02/20/17 | Baseball

Box Score

FRESNO, Calif. – Three freshmen pitchers combined to throw five scoreless innings and give Oregon a 3-2 win in the series finale of a four-game series at Fresno State on Monday night.

James Acuna (1-0) picked up his first career win after entering the game to start the bottom of the fifth inning. He held Fresno State (2-2) scoreless over three innings allowing just two hits while striking out five. Ryne Nelson pitched a scoreless eighth inning before giving way to Kenyon Yovan who picked up his first career save in his first career outing.

How it Happened: For the fourth time in the series, Fresno State jumped out on the Ducks early. The Bulldogs used a pair of singles to lead off the game to score a run off starter Isaiah Carranza for a 1-0 lead. Oregon bounced back in the top of the third with a pair of runs to take the lead. A.J. Balta took advantage of a Fresno State miscue to put the Ducks (2-2) in front. After a pair of walks and two fielder's choices, Slade Heggen struck out but advanced on a wild pitch by Bulldogs' pitcher Davis Moore. Balta made Moore pay with a two-RBI single to center field to give UO a 2-1 lead.

Fresno State tied it in the third with a run scoring double, but the Ducks regained the lead in the fifth with a run. After a Morgan McCullough walk and a Kyle Kasser sacrifice bunt, Jake Bennett picked up the RBI with a base hit up the middle.

Inside The Box Score: Jake Bennett went 2-for-2, his first multi-hit game of the season, with two walks … Both starting pitchers were removed after the fourth inning … Carranza allowed two earned runs on five hits with a walk and no strikeouts … In two appearances in the series, Acuna allowed no runs on four hits with six strikeouts in 4.1 innings pitched … Nelson made two appearances in the series allowing no runs on two hits in 2.2 innings pitched … Oregon played nine true freshmen and one redshirt freshman in the series … Daniel Patzlaff led Oregon with four RBI in the series, while going 4-for-11 with a team-high three runs scored … Heggen had a team-best five hits in the series while batting .333 with a home run and three RBI.

On Deck: The Ducks return to California for the Tony Gwynn Classic next weekend in San Diego. The Ducks will face UC Irvine on Friday at 1 p.m. at Fowler Field on the campus of the University of San Diego. The Ducks will play either San Diego or Notre Dame on Saturday. UO wraps up the tournament on Sunday and then plays San Diego in a non-tournament game Monday night at 6 p.m. at Fowler Field.