Box Score

EUGENE, Ore. --- With a run already in and the tying run on second base in the top of the ninth inning, Oregon third baseman Ryan Hambright caught a line drive off the bat of Portland’s Beau Fraser to preserve a 3-1 win for the No. 6 Ducks over the Pilots at PK Park on Tuesday night. Three Portland (2-7) pitchers combined to hold Oregon (7-1) to just three hits on the night.
 
With the Pilots trailing 3-0 in the top of the ninth, the Ducks turned to their All-American closer Jimmie Sherfy after Portland’s Cody Lenahan led off the frame with a base hit. Jeff Melby followed with a single to give the Pilots runners on first and second with nobody out.
 
After Zack McCoy popped out to second base, Caleb Whalen drilled a double to right field that scored Lenahan and pulled the Pilots within 3-1.
 
Sherfy then k’d Ben Grubb for the second out of the inning before Fraser, a pinch hitter, lined out to third for the game’s final out with two runners in scoring position.
 
Portland received more solid performances from its pitching staff as sophomore Kody Watts, junior Chad Kjemhus and freshman Jackson Lockwood stifled the Oregon bats for most the night. Watts (0-1) started and allowed two runs on two hits in 3.0 innings. The native of Vancouver, Wash., also struck out a pair.
 
Kjemhus took over where Watts left off and allowed just one run and one hit in 4.0 innings of work, while Lockwood tossed a scoreless and hitless eighth inning.
 
The Ducks scored the game’s first run on an RBI single in the bottom of the first inning, but Watts avoided further damage when he recorded a strikeout and an inning-ending fly out with runners on second and third.
 
Oregon’s two other runs both came on sacrifice fly balls in the third and fifth innings.
 
Jeff Gold (1-0), who was one of four Oregon pitchers, picks up the win after tossing 4.0 perfect innings. Gold struck out seven and Sherfy notches his third save on the young season.
 
Caleb Whalen claimed two of Portland’s six hits.
 
The Pilots continue their challenging slate of non-conference games next weekend when they travel to Irvine, Calif., for a four-game series against the No. 21 UC Irvine Anteaters. UP and UCI open with a 6:30 p.m. game on Friday night, play two on Saturday beginning at 12 p.m. and conclude with the finale at 12 p.m. on Sunday.
 
10 of Portland’s first 14 games of the 2013 season are against ranked opponents.