Ducks Sweep Doubleheader, Clinch Series with Saint Mary's

Saturday, February 23

Eugene, Ore.

1:00 PM

University of Oregon

3-2

Saint Mary's

4-2

Saint Mary's

Oregon

Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com

Ducks Sweep Doubleheader, Clinch Series with Saint Mary's

02/23/19 | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Gm 1 Box Score: Oregon 6, Saint Mary's 2 Gm 2 Box Score: Oregon 5, Saint Mary's 4

EUGENE, Ore. – Freshman Aaron Zavala had six hits and drove in three runs to lead Oregon to a doubleheader sweep of Saint Mary's. The Ducks won game one, 6-2, before hanging on for a 5-4 win in game two at PK Park on Saturday night.

Game 1: Oregon 6, Saint Mary's 2
Zavala went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored, while three Oregon pitchers combined to hold the Gaels (4-3) to just seven hits while striking out 11.

Game 1 - How it Happened: Oregon jumped out to an early 3-0 lead scoring two runs in the second inning an another run in the third.

Freshman Kyle Froemke, making his first career start, gave Oregon (4-2) the early lead with a two-run single in his first career at bat. Zavala started the second-inning rally with a base hit, before moving to second on a Tanner Smith walk and to third on a sacrifice bunt by Cameron Campbell.

Zavala made it 3-0 in the third inning with his second hit of the day. He delivered a two-out single scoring Gabe Matthews who started the rally with a one-out base hit.

Saint Mary's cut the lead to 3-1 in the fifth, but Oregon answered with a run of its own in the bottom half of the inning. Once again it was Zavala delivering the run. The Salem, Ore., native came through with a two-out RBI single scoring Jonny DeLuca to put the Ducks on top 4-1.

Oregon made it 5-1 in the sixth inning when DeLuca scored Cameron Campbell with a sacrifice fly, and then Campbell made it 6-1 with a solo home run to left field to lead off the eighth.

Ryne Nelson, making just his third career start, was dominant from the first inning. He fanned one hitter in the first, two hitters in the second and three hitters in the third to set the tone for the Ducks' defense. Nelson allowed just an unearned run on four hits in six innings with nine strikeouts and two walks.

Eugene native Robert Ahlstrom pitched two scoreless innings before Saint Mary's got a run off him in the top of the ninth with the Ducks leading by five. Sophomore Peyton Fuller came in and threw a scoreless inning to give the Ducks the win.

Game 2 – Oregon 5, Saint Mary's 4
Matthews hit a three-run home run and Zavala added three more hits as Oregon held off Saint Mary's rally efforts in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to get the win.

Game 2 – How it Happened: SMC took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth inning, but the Ducks rallied with a run in the fourth and four in the fifth to build a 5-3 lead.

Zavala once again got things going for Oregon's offense. The Ducks' designated hitter got his second hit of the nightcap, an RBI single that scored Spencer Steer to cut the Gaels' lead to two.

Matthews put the Ducks ahead in the bottom half of the fifth inning with a three-run homer. The Ducks' junior first baseman launched a high fly ball to right field. Saint Mary's right fielder Matt Green drifted back, reached over the fence and got his glove on the ball. As the ball hit his glove, he hit the fence jarring the ball out of the glove and giving Matthews his first home run of the season.

Smith added another run for Oregon in the inning with an RBI ground out that scored Goldfarb, who reached on a hit by pitch, moved to second on Zavala's third hit of the game and to third on a Taylor Adams base hit.

Oregon held on over the final four innings allowing just one run, thanks to three big strikeouts that ended the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Starter Cullen Kafka fanned Conor Thane with the bases loaded to end the sixth inning. Freshman reliever Keaton Chase struck out Austin Chauvin with the bases loaded with two outs in the seventh inning. Sophomore reliever Brett Walker got Kevin Milam swinging to end the eighth inning with the tying run at first base.

Duck Notes: Horton picked up his 350th win since arriving at Oregon … The Ducks won their 200th game all-time at PK Park … Zavala finished the doubleheader 6-for-8 with three RBI and a run scored … Matthews' home run was the eighth of his career … Oregon pitchers combined to strike out 23 Gaels' hitters in the two games … The pitchers from both teams combined to hit 11 batters during the doubleheader … Ducks pitchers have combined to hold Saint Mary's 2-5 hitters to 3-for-46 (.065 batting average) … The four – Milam, Haus, Novis, and Diaz – were 22-for-55 (.400) coming into the series … Walker picked up his first career save … Eight different Ducks scored runs in the doubleheader … Nelson's nine strikeouts were a career-high, while his six innings were a career-long … Kafka also recorded career-highs in strikeouts (7) and innings pitched (6.0) … Walker picked up his first career save.

On Deck: Oregon and Saint Mary's wrap up the four game series at noon on Sunday at PK Park. Kolby Somers takes the mound for the Ducks, while Tylor Thornton pitches for Saint Mary's.