Clutch Hit Elusive In Civil War Opener

Thursday, May 11

Eugene, Ore.

6:00 PM

University of Oregon

26-19, 9-13

Oregon State

39-4, 22-3

Oregon State

Oregon

05/11/17 | Baseball

Box Score

Oregon lost 6-1 to OSU on Thursday, and will turn to ace David Peterson in hopes of evening the series Friday (7 p.m., Pac-12 Network).

By: Rob Moseley

EUGENE, Ore. — Oregon got the leadoff man on base in four of the first five innings Thursday night, but the Ducks could only score once, allowing No. 1 Oregon State to leave PK Park with a 6-1 victory on the opening night of a three-game Civil War series.

The Ducks (26-19, 9-13 Pac-12) will turn to David Peterson on Friday night (7 p.m., Pac-12 Network), and hope to provide more offense for their ace. "We continue setting the table, getting guys on, getting them in scoring position, and can't do it," UO shortstop Kyle Kasser said. "There's no magical answer, but it's tough, because it's been going on a while. Our staff's doing a hell of a job, and we can't help them out."

How It Happened: Facing the NCAA leader in ERA, Oregon State lefty Luke Heimlich, the Ducks couldn't afford to squander chances. But after Kasser led off the first with a double, Jake Bennett popped up an attempted sacrifice bunt and Kasser was stranded.

In the third, Kasser himself bunted Morgan McCullough over to second with one out, but Heimlich followed with two strikeouts. Only in the fifth, when Bennett was hit by a pitch following three singles that loaded the bases, did the Ducks push across a run.

"We set the table OK, but when the only way you get a run is on a hit by pitch with the bases loaded, it's not enough," UO coach George Horton said. "We weren't able to extend innings."

Pitching on three days' rest after throwing 61 pitches Sunday at Washington State, sophomore Cole Stringer allowed only two runs over four innings, solo homers by Adley Rutschman and Michael Gretler in the fourth. Rutschman added an RBI single in the fifth, and Gretler had an RBI single in the Beavers' three-run eighth.

Tale Of Two At-Bats: After Bennett was hit by a pitch to bring in Oregon's only run, No. 3 hitter Spencer Steer came up with the bases loaded and one out. The Ducks trailed just 3-1 at that point, and Steer worked an extended at-bat before stinging a ball right at OSU second baseman Nick Madrigal — who started an inning ending double play.

The score was 4-1 in the eighth with two on and one out for the Beavers (39-4, 22-3). Madrigal also hit a ground ball to second, but the Ducks were unable to turn two, and Oregon State took advantage when Jack Anderson followed two batters later with a two-run double.

Up Next: The Ducks send Peterson to face the Beavers in the second game of the series Thursday.