University of Oregon
31-20, 14-14
Utah
22-30-1, 9-18-1
Ducks fall in series opener at Utah
05/18/23 | Baseball
The Utes (22-30-1, 9-18-1 Pac-12) won the series opener against the Ducks (31-20, 14-14 Pac-12).
How It Happened: Utah jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first scoring two unearned runs after Oregon committed one error and allowed a runner to score after being caught in a rundown.
The Ducks answered immediately taking the lead in the top of the second inning. After back-to-back singles to lead off the frame by Sabin Ceballos and Tanner Smith, freshman Drew Smith hit his second career home run over the wall in center field.
Oregon added a pair in the top of the third behind Drew Cowley. After Colby Shade led off the inning with a walk, Cowley drove him in with a RBI double into the right-field gap to make it 4-2. Cowley then stole third when Utah pitcher Bryson Van Sickle spun and tried to pick him off at second but instead threw it away while adjusting the throw to third allowing Cowley to score.
Utah tied the game with three runs in the bottom of third before adding six in the bottom of the seventh and one in the eighth.
Box Score Notes: Drew Smith's second-inning home run extended Oregon's consecutive games streak with a home run to a school record 21 games … Smith's bomb extended his hitting streak to an Oregon season-high 13 games (tied with Tanner Smith), which moved him into a tie for the ninth longest hitting streak in Oregon modern era history … Drew Smith (1-for-2, 3 RBI, 2 BB) had his second career multi-hit game … Cowley's third inning RBI gave him 56 for the season and moved him into a tie for third on the single-season RBI list with Anthony Hall (2022) and Ryon Healy (2013) … The RBI double was also Cowley's 16th two-bagger of the season tying him with Tanner Smith (2023), himself (2022), Tyler Baumgartner (2014) and Danny Pulfer (2011) for eighth on the single-season list … Ceballos made his first start at third since suffering a leg injury on April 29 in an Oregon win over Arizona State … Ceballos (3-for-4, R) had his 15th multi-hit game of the season … Shade (2-for-4, BB, R) finished with his 16th multi-hit game of the season and the 37th of his career … The loss snapped Oregon's 12-game winnings streak against the Utes.
On Deck: A quick turnaround with the teams playing game two of the series at 10:05 a.m. (PT) Friday morning at Smith's Ballpark.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hostert, Randon (3-2)
L: McShane, Dylan (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Cowley, Drew 1
HR: Smith, Drew 1
RBI: Cowley, Drew 1 ; Smith, Drew 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Shade, Colby 1 ; Cowley, Drew 1 ; Ceballos, Sabin 1 ; Smith, Tanner 1 ; Smith, Drew 1
SB: Cowley, Drew 1 ; Smith, Drew 1
Batting:
2B: Carpenter, Kaden 1
3B: Roberts, Kai 1
HR: Clarkson, TJ 1 ; Kiernan, Jayden 1
RBI: Cop, Davis 2 ; Clarkson, TJ 1 ; Kiernan, Jayden 2 ; Frei, Landon 2 ; Flaharty, Matt 1 ; Webster, Bruer 1
SH: Hammill, Elijha 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Roberts, Kai 2 ; Cop, Davis 1 ; Clarkson, TJ 1 ; Kiernan, Jayden 2 ; Hammill, Elijha 1 ; Carpenter, Kaden 2 ; Frei, Landon 1 ; Flaharty, Matt 1 ; Webster, Bruer 1
SB: Cop, Davis 1 ; Kiernan, Jayden 2 ; Frei, Landon 1
CS: Cop, Davis 1
HBP: Kiernan, Jayden 2 ; Carpenter, Kaden 1
PO: Cop, Davis 1
