Ducks win at No. 7 Arizona

Thursday, April 13

Tucson, Ariz.

7:00 PM

University of Oregon

23-8, 6-4

Arizona

24-9, 7-6

Oregon

Arizona

04/14/17 | Baseball

Box Score

Tucson, Ariz. – No. 22 Oregon's pitchers held No. 7 Arizona's potent offense in check most of the night and the Ducks tied a season-high with 16 hits in an 8-4 Pac-12 Conference win at Hi Corbett Field on Thursday night.

Arizona entered the game leading the Pac-12 in 12 different offensive categories and ranked third in the nation in batting average, as well as fourth in the country in runs scored. Ducks' starter David Peterson, who led the nation in wins entering the game, proved to be just a little better. He picked up the win while allowing just two unearned runs in six innings while giving up just five hits and striking out five. He moved to 8-1 on the season.

How it Happened: Oregon jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the top of the second. Freshman Matthew Dyer, a native of Glendale, Ariz., started the rally with a one-out triple and scored on a Tim Susnara RBI single. After an out and a Taylor Travess bunt single, Morgan McCullough tripled over the right fielders head scoring Susnara and Travess for a 3-0 lead.

Arizona cut the lead to one in the bottom of the third with a pair of unearned runs. Mitchell Marimoto reached on catcher's interference by Susnara and came in to score on a Jared Oliva single. After a hit by pitch loaded the bases, Peterson issued a bases loaded walk before getting out of the inning with a strikeout.

Oregon (23-8, 6-4 Pac-12) added it its lead in the seventh with a pair of two-out hits. Freshman Spencer Steer singled and scored on a triple by freshman Gabe Matthews.

Arizona (24-9, 7-6 Pac-12) cut the lead back to one in the seventh scoring a run on three hits against reliever Cooper Stiles. It could have been worse for the Ducks, but Connor Zwetsch held the Wildcats scoreless getting both batters he faced after entering the game with one out and runners on first and third.

Oregon added two runs in the eighth to push the lead to three. Susnara singled to lead off the inning and A.J. Balta moved him to third with a base hit. McCullough walked to load the bases, before Kasser walked to drive in a run and Bennett scored another with a sacrifice fly.

Arizona scored a run off Zwetsch in the eighth and had a chance to score more. With a runner on first and one out, Kenyon Yovan relieved Zwetsch and fanned both hitters he faced to get out of the inning with a two run lead.

Balta pushed the lead to four in the top of the ninth with a two-out, two-RBI double that scored Matthews and Steer who led off the inning with back-to-back singles.

Yovan finished the game with a scoreless ninth inning picking up his Pac-12 leading 12th save.

Peterson in the record books: Peterson's eighth win on the season tied him with eight other Ducks for 10th on the single-season wins list … His five strikeouts gave him 82 for the season, tying him with Eric Stavert (2009) for eighth on the single-season list … Peterson moved into a tie for ninth on the career list in innings pitched with Jon Wheeler (1967-69) … He also moved into fourth in career strikeouts with 224 … He needs one more win to crack the career top 10.

Inside the box score: Arizona entered the game 17-0 at home this season ... Yovan is perfect in 12 save opportunities, and is 1-0 with 12 saves in 13 appearances … Susnara had his second career four-hit game with his first coming against Gonzaga on May 9 last season … Balta went 2-for-2 off the bench with two RBI, his 24th career game with multiple RBI … Steer, Matthews, Dyer and McCullough all had two hits … Freshman Ryne Nelson made his first career start batting in the seven hole as the designated hitter … Nelson is the eighth true freshman to start a game for the Ducks this season, and one of five in Thursday's starting lineup …

On Deck: The Ducks and Wildcats play game two of their series on Friday at 7 p.m. at Hi Corbett Field. The Ducks will send Matt Mercer (5-1, 2.15) to the mound.