Friday, March 27
Goleta, Calif.
4:35 p.m.
University of Oregon
22-4
4
at
0
UC Santa Barbara
15-8
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
6th innning6
7th innning7
8th innning8
9th innning9
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
Oregon
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
3
4
8
1
UC Santa Barbara
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
1
Photo by: Zoe Rivers
Ducks Blank Gauchos to Take Series Opener
03/27/26 | Baseball
GOLITA, Calif. — After six scoreless innings, No. 20 Oregon was finally able to break through for four runs over the final three innings to claim a 4-0 nonconference win over UC Santa Barbara in game one of the series on Friday night at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
In a matchup between two of the top starting pitchers in college baseball, both teams threatened into the middle innings but neither team could come through with a big hit to push a run across the plate.
Oregon (22-4) ran up UCSB starter Jackson Flora's pitch count in innings two through four, forcing the No. 2 starter in the country according to D1Baseball to throw more than 20 pitches in each of those innings. Despite the high pitch count, the Ducks stranded six runners in the first four innings including three in scoring position.
UCSB (15-8) had similar frustrations against Oregon starter Will Sanford, the No. 19 starting pitcher on D1Baseball's list. The Gauchos (15-8) stranded 10 runners in five innings against Sanford, including leaving the bases loaded in both the third and fourth innings.
Neither Sanford nor Flora factored in the decision with both leaving the game after five innings without allowing a run. Sanford gave up two hits with five walks and four strikeouts. Flora also allowed two hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
Oregon's bullpen ended up besting the UCSB bullpen leading to the Ducks' win. Luke Morgan (1-0) picked up his first career win, tossing two scoreless innings. Tanner Bradley and Devin Bell also chipped in a scoreless frame. The Ducks' scored four runs against the Gauchos bullpen.
How It Happened: Scoreless heading into the seventh inning, Jack Brooks changed that with one swing of the bat with one out in the seventh. Brooks crushed the first pitch he saw 443-feet with a 110 mile per hour exit velocity over the towering scoreboard beyond the right-field fence.
The Ducks tacked on three insurance runs in the top of the ninth, sparked by a Gabe Miranda leadoff bunt single. Brooks moved Miranda to second with a sacrifice bunt before Ryan Cooney reached on an infield single moving Miranda to third. After fouling off a squeeze bunt attempt, Jax Gimenez ripped a line drive double over right-fielders Max Staggs' head to score Miranda and move Cooney to third.
Cooney scored on a balk when Stunner Gonzalez tripped while starting to deliver a pitch for a 3-0 lead. After a Drew Smith intentional walk, the Ducks stole a run when Smith intentionally got caught in a rundown long enough for Gimenez to score from third to make it a four-run game.
Box Score Notes: The shutout was Oregon's fifth of the season, including the Ducks' second on the road trip … Gimenez extended his hitting streak to 13 games, matching the 10th longest in Oregon's modern-era history … The two teams combined to leave 22 runners on base (UCSB 13, Oregon 9) … They combined to go 3-for-24 with runners in scoring position with only one of those hits scoring a run, while going 1-for-21 combined with two outs.
On Deck: Oregon and UCSB play game two of the series on Saturday with a 3:05 p.m. first pitch (ESPN+).
In a matchup between two of the top starting pitchers in college baseball, both teams threatened into the middle innings but neither team could come through with a big hit to push a run across the plate.
Oregon (22-4) ran up UCSB starter Jackson Flora's pitch count in innings two through four, forcing the No. 2 starter in the country according to D1Baseball to throw more than 20 pitches in each of those innings. Despite the high pitch count, the Ducks stranded six runners in the first four innings including three in scoring position.
UCSB (15-8) had similar frustrations against Oregon starter Will Sanford, the No. 19 starting pitcher on D1Baseball's list. The Gauchos (15-8) stranded 10 runners in five innings against Sanford, including leaving the bases loaded in both the third and fourth innings.
Neither Sanford nor Flora factored in the decision with both leaving the game after five innings without allowing a run. Sanford gave up two hits with five walks and four strikeouts. Flora also allowed two hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
Oregon's bullpen ended up besting the UCSB bullpen leading to the Ducks' win. Luke Morgan (1-0) picked up his first career win, tossing two scoreless innings. Tanner Bradley and Devin Bell also chipped in a scoreless frame. The Ducks' scored four runs against the Gauchos bullpen.
How It Happened: Scoreless heading into the seventh inning, Jack Brooks changed that with one swing of the bat with one out in the seventh. Brooks crushed the first pitch he saw 443-feet with a 110 mile per hour exit velocity over the towering scoreboard beyond the right-field fence.
The Ducks tacked on three insurance runs in the top of the ninth, sparked by a Gabe Miranda leadoff bunt single. Brooks moved Miranda to second with a sacrifice bunt before Ryan Cooney reached on an infield single moving Miranda to third. After fouling off a squeeze bunt attempt, Jax Gimenez ripped a line drive double over right-fielders Max Staggs' head to score Miranda and move Cooney to third.
Cooney scored on a balk when Stunner Gonzalez tripped while starting to deliver a pitch for a 3-0 lead. After a Drew Smith intentional walk, the Ducks stole a run when Smith intentionally got caught in a rundown long enough for Gimenez to score from third to make it a four-run game.
Box Score Notes: The shutout was Oregon's fifth of the season, including the Ducks' second on the road trip … Gimenez extended his hitting streak to 13 games, matching the 10th longest in Oregon's modern-era history … The two teams combined to leave 22 runners on base (UCSB 13, Oregon 9) … They combined to go 3-for-24 with runners in scoring position with only one of those hits scoring a run, while going 1-for-21 combined with two outs.
On Deck: Oregon and UCSB play game two of the series on Saturday with a 3:05 p.m. first pitch (ESPN+).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Morgan, Luke (1-0)
L: Raymond Olivas (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Cooney, Ryan 1 ; Gimenez, Jax 1 ; Hellman, Dominic 1
HR: Brooks, Jack 1
RBI: Gimenez, Jax 1 ; Brooks, Jack 1
SH: Brooks, Jack 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cooney, Ryan 1 ; Gimenez, Jax 1 ; Miranda, Gabe 1 ; Brooks, Jack 1
CS: Smith, Drew 1
Base Running:
HBP: Colin Beazizo 2
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
lf/rf
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
UTL
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ Baseball
1B
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ BaseballMark Wasikowski | Postgame vs. Northwestern (Game 3)
Monday, March 23
Gabe Miranda | Postgame vs. Northwestern (Game 2)
Sunday, March 22
Devin Bell | Postgame vs. Northwestern (Game 2)
Sunday, March 22
Mark Wasikowski | Postgame vs. Northwestern (Game 2)
Sunday, March 22
