Ducks, Cardinal Face Rubber Match Saturday

Friday, March 30

Stanford, Calif.

6:05 PM

University of Oregon

15-10, 0

Stanford

19-3, 0

Oregon

Stanford

03/30/18 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score: #3 Stanford 5, Oregon 1

Oregon took an early lead but No. 3 Stanford fought back to win 5-1 on Friday, setting up a series-deciding game Saturday afternoon.

By: Rob Moseley

STANFORD, Calif. — The Oregon baseball team scored first for the second night in a row at No. 3 Stanford, but the Cardinal rallied to win Friday's game 5-1 and even the weekend series entering a rubber match Saturday afternoon.

The Ducks (15-10, 3-5 Pac-12) went ahead 1-0 in the second against Cardinal lefty Kris Bubic, who was 4-0 with a 1.19 ERA entering the game. But that unearned run was all Oregon could muster as Bubic settled in over the course of the game, and Stanford rallied thanks to timely hitting and some defensive miscues by the visitors.

"We had some shots at him early," said UO coach George Horton, whose team made Bubic throw 49 pitches through two innings. "We had some quality at-bats, and the table set. But like a good pitcher does, he really settled in."

How It Happened: A day after winning 10-1, the Ducks looked poised for another big night from the outset Friday. Daniel Patzlaff doubled with one out in the first, and Gabe Matthews worked a two-out walk before Ray Soderman struck out.

Oregon broke through in the second. A night after his dominant start against the Cardinal, Kenyon Yovan was the designated hitter Friday and hit a one-out double in the second. After a hit by pitch, Kyle Kasser came up with two on and two out and laced a single to left that was mishandled by the outfielder, allowing Yovan to score.

That ended up being an unearned run — and the only one the Ducks would push across in the game. Matthews walked again with one out in the third but was caught stealing before Soderman struck out. Oregon would only get two base runners the rest of the night as Bubic improved to 5-0, mainly relying on a deceptive delivery that enhanced the impact of his plus changeup.

"To use a boxing analogy, we went to the body early and landed some shots," Horton said. "But he fought himself out of the corner, and then he started delivering the blows."

Mercer was the match of Bubic early, facing the minimum through two innings. But in the third, Nick Brueser singled, stole second and scored on a single to left by Beau Branton. The ball fell just in front of the outfielder, Patzlaff, making his first collegiate appearance there.

In the third, Brueser singled, took second on a passed ball and scored an unearned run on another Branton single. Another passed ball put Tim Tawa at third base following a double in the sixth, and he scored three batters later. The Cardinal added two insurance runs in the eighth off UO reliever Parker Kelly, helped by a Soderman error and a fielder's choice on which shortstop Ryne Nelson had time to get a runner coming home but bobbled the ball and had to settle for an out at first base.

"Defensively, we gave up a lot of stuff," Horton said.

Duck Notes: Patzlaff, typically a middle infielder, played the outfield for the first time in 161 career games with the Ducks. … Bubic was pulled with one out in the eighth. Prior to a leadoff hit by Kasser in that inning, he had struck out three straight, and five of the last six. He finished the game with nine strikeouts. … Bubic had allowed just three hits all year to right-handed hitters, before the early doubles by Patzlaff and Yovan on Friday.

On Deck: The Ducks and Cardinal close out the series Saturday, when Oregon sends freshman left-hander Kolby Somers (1-2, 3.66) out to face Stanford lefty Erik Miller (1-1, 3.72).