No. 9 Ducks Rally Late to Defeat Pilots
Box Score
EUGENE, Ore. --- The Portland Pilots battled the No. 9 Oregon Ducks Tuesday night at PK Park before falling by a 5-1 margin. The Pilots led early and senior right-hander Matt McCallister held the Ducks in check until Oregon broke a 1-1 tie with three runs in the seventh inning.
The Ducks improve to 19-6 with the win, while the Pilots fall to 8-16 overall. Portland has already faced ten ranked opponents this season.
As expected, Tuesday was a pitcher’s duel as McCallister (1-2) took the hard-luck loss after allowing just two runs in 6.1 innings pitched. Darrell Hunter picked up the win in relief for the Ducks, as he tossed 1.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
Nine Oregon pitchers combined for a four-hitter and struck out six Pilot batters.
Portland grabbed the early lead in second inning when sophomore right fielder Caleb Whalen tripled and then scored on senior first baseman Brian Frattali’s sacrifice fly.
McCallister shut down the Ducks through the first four innings, but UO tied the game in the fifth on an RBI-single by Brett Thomas.
The Pilots put a runner at second with one out in the sixth, but came up empty. The seventh also looked promising for Portland as the visitors loaded the bases with one out, but the Ducks induced an inning-ending double play and carried the momentum to the bottom of the frame.
Aaron Payne was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice. Craig Meredith came on as a pinch hitter and beat out a grounder to second that drew Portland head coach Chris Sperry out of the dugout for a discussion with the first base umpire. With runners on first and third, Oregon bunted and Pilot reliever Brandon Snyder was able to throw out Payne attempting to score for the second out of the inning.
The Pilots went to the bullpen for right-handed senior JR Bunda. Ryon Healy walked and then Mitchell Tolman hit a clutch two-run double down the left field line. An error on the play allowed a third run to cross home plate and the Ducks had the necessary cushion to hold on for the win. UO would add an insurance run in the eighth.
Senior third basemen Jeff Melby recorded two of the Pilots four hits on the night. Tyler Baumgartner and Josh Graham had two hits apiece for the Ducks.
Oregon finished with 10 hits, zero errors and left eight runners on base. The Pilots had four hits, three errors and stranded seven baserunners.
Portland returns to Joe Etzel Field to host West Coast Conference rival Santa Clara for a three-game series beginning with a Thursday doubleheader at 11 a.m. The series concludes on Saturday with a 1 p.m. first pitch.
