Saturday, April 6
Eugene, Ore.
2:30 PM
University of Oregon
17-12
5
vs
3
Fresno State
15-10
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Fresno State
0
0
1
0
2
0
0
0
0
3
6
0
Oregon
0
1
1
0
1
0
2
0
X
5
11
1
Photo by: Deborah Mundorff
Walk-Off Caps Doubleheader Sweep
04/07/19 | Baseball
EUGENE, Ore. – Gabe Matthews and Jonny DeLuca came up with clutch hits late in the games to help Oregon sweep a doubleheader against Fresno State on Saturday at PK Park. Oregon won game one 5-3 and the got a walk-off, two-run single from Matthews to win game two 8-7.
The Ducks (18-12) clinched a series split with the two wins over the Bulldogs (15-11).
Game 1: Oregon 5, Fresno State 3
Jonny DeLuca broke a 3-3 tie with a two-out, two-run RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Ducks the win in game one of the doubleheader.
How it Happened (Game 1): DeLuca's two RBI helped Oregon rally from a 3-2 deficit after the Bulldogs took the lead in the top of the fifth inning. Oregon responded tying the game in the fifth and then taking the lead in the seventh.
Oregon jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Oregon loaded the bases on a hit by Aaron Zavala and walks by Sam Novitske and Tanner Smith, before Spencer Steer picked up the RBI when he was hit by a pitch scoring Zavala.
Fresno State tied it in the third, but Oregon answered with a run in their half of the inning to take the lead. Zavala started the rally with a walk, moved to third on a Cameron Campbell hit and then scored on a Max Foxcroft single.
After FS regained the lead with two runs in the fifth, Oregon tied it in its half of the inning on a Smith RBI single that scored Campbell.
Cullen Kafka (3-2) picked up the win while Ryne Nelson got the save. Tiegen Jones (0-1) took the loss.
Box Score Notes (Game 1): Foxcroft went 3-for-5 with a RBI and a run scored … The three-hit game was the first of his career and his second multi-hit game of the season … Zavala was 2-for-2 with three walks and two runs scored … It was his seventh multi-hit game … Tanner Smith was 2-for-3 with a RBI, his sixth multi-hit game of the season … DeLuca had his third multi-RBI game of the season … Kafka recorded his team-best fourth quality start allowing three runs on six hits in seven innings while striking out seven … Ryne Nelson picked up his second save of the season and the sixth of his career … Oregon stranded a season-high 16 runners on base, including at least one in every inning and two-or-more in the first six innings.
Game 2: Oregon 8, Fresno State 7
Matthews lined a two-out, bases-loaded single up the middle in the bottom of the ninth inning scoring Foxcroft and Novitske to win the game and sweep the doubleheader.
How it Happened (Game 2): The Ducks rallied from behind four times in the game finally winning it with the two-run ninth inning.
Fresno State took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Ducks scored runs in each of the first three innings to go on top 4-3.
The Bulldogs regained the lead with a pair of runs in the sixth, but UO responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning to tie it. FS went up 6-5 in the top of the eight but Oregon knotted the game in its half of the inning with a run.
Fresno State took the lead for the fourth time in the top of the ninth, which set up Matthews' heroics in Oregon's fourth walk-off win of the season.
Matthews didn't only come up big in the final inning. The Ducks cleanup hitter finished with four RBI with the first two coming in the bottom of the first inning. With Fresno State leading 3-0, Matthews laced a double into the right-field corner scoring Smith and Steer to cut the lead to one run.
Oregon tied the game in the bottom of the second. Zavala led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a Campbell base hit. Foxcroft moved Zavala to third with a sacrifice bunt, before the Ducks' designated hitter scored on a wild pitch.
The Ducks took their first lead of the nightcap in the third inning. Evan Williams led off the inning with a double into left field, advanced to third on a Zavala base hit and scored on a Campbell squeeze bunt.
Fresno State regained the lead with two runs in the sixth but Oregon tied it in their half of the inning. DeLuca drove the first pitch he saw into the Ducks' bullpen over the right-field fence.
Oregon rallied from behind again after Fresno State scored in the eighth inning. DeLuca picked up the RBI again on a fielder's choice after Steer led off the inning with a base hit and moved to third on a hard hit single off Fresno State second baseman Nolan Dempsey.
Box Score Notes (Game 2): Matthews went 3-for-5 and matched a career-high with four RBI … The Ducks' first baseman had his team-best 10th multi-hit game and his fifth multi-RBI game … Zavala reached base in all four of his plate appearances with two this a walk and on a Fresno State error … It was his eighth multi-hit game … DeLuca's home run was his first of the season and the seventh of his career … He had his fourth multi-RBI game … Keaton Chase (3-0) picked up the win getting the final out, a diving play by Foxcroft that saved a run … Oregon stranded 15 in the game, while Fresno State stranded 13.
Quotable: Head coach George Horton
On Matthews' walk-off and the win in general…
"Somehow the baseball gods came through and got the right guys up in the right situation. I guess, it was one of their best players against one of our best players, and Gabe found a way to get it done. It was a victory that I think this team needed for a lot of different reasons and I think we showed some toughness"
Junior Gabe Matthews
On what went through his head before the walk-off…
"I've had way too many opportunities to do that, and it's about time (that I did that). And I did it, so that's what went through my head honestly,"
Doubleheader Notes: The Ducks came from behind in both games to give them seven comeback wins this season … They also won their ninth game that was decided by one run … Oregon is 6-0 in doubleheaders this season and 13-1 over the last two years … Zavala reached base in all nine of his at bats (4 hits, 4 walks, 1 error), finishing with a .889 on-base percentage … The Ducks batted .328 (21-for-64) with a .522 on-base percentage … Nelson pitched in both games allowing an unearned run in three innings with six Ks … The Ducks walked 22 times and were hit by four pitches, while allowing just eight walks.
On Deck: The Ducks travel to Oregon State for a midweek game on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. on the Pac-12 Network.
The Ducks (18-12) clinched a series split with the two wins over the Bulldogs (15-11).
Game 1: Oregon 5, Fresno State 3
Jonny DeLuca broke a 3-3 tie with a two-out, two-run RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Ducks the win in game one of the doubleheader.
How it Happened (Game 1): DeLuca's two RBI helped Oregon rally from a 3-2 deficit after the Bulldogs took the lead in the top of the fifth inning. Oregon responded tying the game in the fifth and then taking the lead in the seventh.
Oregon jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Oregon loaded the bases on a hit by Aaron Zavala and walks by Sam Novitske and Tanner Smith, before Spencer Steer picked up the RBI when he was hit by a pitch scoring Zavala.
Fresno State tied it in the third, but Oregon answered with a run in their half of the inning to take the lead. Zavala started the rally with a walk, moved to third on a Cameron Campbell hit and then scored on a Max Foxcroft single.
After FS regained the lead with two runs in the fifth, Oregon tied it in its half of the inning on a Smith RBI single that scored Campbell.
Cullen Kafka (3-2) picked up the win while Ryne Nelson got the save. Tiegen Jones (0-1) took the loss.
Box Score Notes (Game 1): Foxcroft went 3-for-5 with a RBI and a run scored … The three-hit game was the first of his career and his second multi-hit game of the season … Zavala was 2-for-2 with three walks and two runs scored … It was his seventh multi-hit game … Tanner Smith was 2-for-3 with a RBI, his sixth multi-hit game of the season … DeLuca had his third multi-RBI game of the season … Kafka recorded his team-best fourth quality start allowing three runs on six hits in seven innings while striking out seven … Ryne Nelson picked up his second save of the season and the sixth of his career … Oregon stranded a season-high 16 runners on base, including at least one in every inning and two-or-more in the first six innings.
Game 2: Oregon 8, Fresno State 7
Matthews lined a two-out, bases-loaded single up the middle in the bottom of the ninth inning scoring Foxcroft and Novitske to win the game and sweep the doubleheader.
How it Happened (Game 2): The Ducks rallied from behind four times in the game finally winning it with the two-run ninth inning.
Fresno State took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Ducks scored runs in each of the first three innings to go on top 4-3.
The Bulldogs regained the lead with a pair of runs in the sixth, but UO responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning to tie it. FS went up 6-5 in the top of the eight but Oregon knotted the game in its half of the inning with a run.
Fresno State took the lead for the fourth time in the top of the ninth, which set up Matthews' heroics in Oregon's fourth walk-off win of the season.
Matthews didn't only come up big in the final inning. The Ducks cleanup hitter finished with four RBI with the first two coming in the bottom of the first inning. With Fresno State leading 3-0, Matthews laced a double into the right-field corner scoring Smith and Steer to cut the lead to one run.
Oregon tied the game in the bottom of the second. Zavala led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a Campbell base hit. Foxcroft moved Zavala to third with a sacrifice bunt, before the Ducks' designated hitter scored on a wild pitch.
The Ducks took their first lead of the nightcap in the third inning. Evan Williams led off the inning with a double into left field, advanced to third on a Zavala base hit and scored on a Campbell squeeze bunt.
Fresno State regained the lead with two runs in the sixth but Oregon tied it in their half of the inning. DeLuca drove the first pitch he saw into the Ducks' bullpen over the right-field fence.
Oregon rallied from behind again after Fresno State scored in the eighth inning. DeLuca picked up the RBI again on a fielder's choice after Steer led off the inning with a base hit and moved to third on a hard hit single off Fresno State second baseman Nolan Dempsey.
Box Score Notes (Game 2): Matthews went 3-for-5 and matched a career-high with four RBI … The Ducks' first baseman had his team-best 10th multi-hit game and his fifth multi-RBI game … Zavala reached base in all four of his plate appearances with two this a walk and on a Fresno State error … It was his eighth multi-hit game … DeLuca's home run was his first of the season and the seventh of his career … He had his fourth multi-RBI game … Keaton Chase (3-0) picked up the win getting the final out, a diving play by Foxcroft that saved a run … Oregon stranded 15 in the game, while Fresno State stranded 13.
Quotable: Head coach George Horton
On Matthews' walk-off and the win in general…
"Somehow the baseball gods came through and got the right guys up in the right situation. I guess, it was one of their best players against one of our best players, and Gabe found a way to get it done. It was a victory that I think this team needed for a lot of different reasons and I think we showed some toughness"
Junior Gabe Matthews
On what went through his head before the walk-off…
"I've had way too many opportunities to do that, and it's about time (that I did that). And I did it, so that's what went through my head honestly,"
Doubleheader Notes: The Ducks came from behind in both games to give them seven comeback wins this season … They also won their ninth game that was decided by one run … Oregon is 6-0 in doubleheaders this season and 13-1 over the last two years … Zavala reached base in all nine of his at bats (4 hits, 4 walks, 1 error), finishing with a .889 on-base percentage … The Ducks batted .328 (21-for-64) with a .522 on-base percentage … Nelson pitched in both games allowing an unearned run in three innings with six Ks … The Ducks walked 22 times and were hit by four pitches, while allowing just eight walks.
On Deck: The Ducks travel to Oregon State for a midweek game on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. on the Pac-12 Network.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kafka, Cullen (3-2)
L: JONES, Tiegen (0-1)
S: Nelson, Ryne (2)
Batting:
2B: ASHFORD, Zach 1 ; BINS, Carter 1 ; TOMCZAK, Miles 1
RBI: ASHFORD, Zach 1 ; BINS, Carter 2
SH: CHASTAIN, Auston 1
Base Running:
RUNS: ASHFORD, Zach 1 ; TOMCZAK, Miles 1 ; CHASTAIN, Auston 1
Batting:
RBI: Smith, Tanner 1 ; Steer, Spencer 1 ; DeLuca, Jonny 2 ; Foxcroft, Max 1
SH: Smith, Tanner 1 ; Campbell, Cameron 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Novitske, Sam 1 ; Zavala, Aaron 2 ; Campbell, Cameron 1 ; Foxcroft, Max 1
CS: DeLuca, Jonny 1 ; Adams, Taylor 1 ; Tosti, Vinny 1
HBP: Novitske, Sam 1 ; Steer, Spencer 1 ; Campbell, Cameron 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF/INF
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
1B
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballC/OF
/ Baseball2024-25 Oregon Baseball Intro Video
Thursday, June 12
Oregon Baseball | Eugene Regional | Postgame vs. Cal Poly
Saturday, May 31
Oregon Baseball | Eugene Regional | Postgame vs. Utah Valley
Saturday, May 31
Grayson Grinsell & Jacob Walsh | NCAA Selection Show
Monday, May 26
