Oregon Baseball: Ducks Sweep Washington with Walkoff and Complete Game

Oregon Baseball(22-6, 8-1 Pac 12) is on a nice roll. The early weekend start for the Ducks did not stop them from sweeping the Washington Huskies(6-19, 2-7 Pac 12) out of Eugene. In Thursday’s opener it was in dramatic fashion in extras. Ryon Healy hit a  two run walkoff home run in the bottom of the 10th. Ducks won 5-3. Saturday it was a pitchers duel, but Tommy Thorpe and the Ducks came out on top 1-0. Saturday’s finale featured a complete game shutout by Freshman Cole Irvin.

To open the weekend series on Thursday(it was a day earlier due to Easter Sunday), Oregon turned to Pitcher Jake Reed who was on his mark early pitching a shutout after two innings, with a 2 run lead as the Ducks scored in the first inning. Then things got interesting. As the pitch count  increased his pitches were higher in the strike zone, and Washington made contact. Reed did settle in for 8 inning of work allowing three runs, two earned on five hits and striking out five. First Baseman Ryon Healy came to the plate in the 10th and decided it was time for everyone to go home hitting a pitch over the left field fence as Oregon won 5-3.

Friday evening’s contest did not have as much in the way of offensive fireworks, but there was just enough for the Ducks. Pitcher Tommy Thorpe held Washington to just three hits and no runs in 8 innings, and Closer Jimmy Sherfy locked it up as Oregon won 1-0. That single run was not easy to come by. Freshman Josh Graham put Oregon on the scoreboard with a hit in the bottom of the second and that was all they would need. The Ducks tried to score again in the 7th, but Kevin Minjares was thrown out at home plate on a soft grounder to short by Tyler Baumgartner. Washington Pitcher Austin Voss took the loss of the Cougars after allowing 1 hit in 7 innings of work.

Oregon Pitcher Cole Irvin

GoDucks.com

Saturday was a similar story for the Ducks. Oregon turned to Freshman Cole Irvin on the mound who pitched not only a shutout, but a complete game. It was the first complete game by a Ducks pitcher this season going 9 innings and allowing just four hits and striking out a season high 11. Oregon picked up two quick runs in the first inning, Steven Packard scored Ryon Healy on a squeeze bunt from 3rd. It was just the fourth time this year they have scored out of the gate.

Oregon’s offense was at it again in the 4th adding four runs pretty much sealing the game for the Ducks. First Baseman Ryon Healy after his Thursday night heroics went 3-4 with two RBI’s and run scored. Connor Hoffman was 2-4 with 2 RBI’s and a run scored as Oregon swept the Huskies.

The Ducks now hit the road for a weekend series at Arizona State starting on Friday.

Oregon Ducks This Week:

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