Oregon Baseball: Ducks Hit on All Cylinders, Win Finale vs Arizona State 16-3

Press Release from the U of O:

TEMPE, Ariz. – Oregon got at least one hit from every starter and rolled to a 16-3 Pac-12 Conference win at Arizona State on Sunday at Packard Stadium.

The Ducks (23-8, 9-3 Pac-12) salvaged the final game of the three-game series against the Sun Devils (19-9-1, 6-6 Pac-12).

GoDucks.com

Aaron Payne (4-for-5, 3 RBI, 2 runs scored) and Scott Heineman (4-for-6, 3 RBI, 1 run scored) led the Ducks’ offense with four hits and three RBI each. Ryon Healy (3-for-6, 1 RBI, 3 runs scored) added three hits. Josh Graham (2-for-5, 3 RBI, 3 runs scored), Connor Hoffman (2-for-5, two runs scored) and Brett Thomas (2-for-6, 3 RBI, 1 run scored) all added two hits. J.J. Altobelli (1-for-4, 1 RBI, 2 runs scored), Tyler Baumgartner (1-for-5, 1 RBI, 1 run scored) and Mitchell Tolman (1-for-3, 1 RBI) all added a hit.

Freshman Cole Irvin (6-1) picked up the win giving up three runs on six hits in seven innings, while striking out two.

The Ducks picked up a pair of runs in the top of the first on two hits and two walks. Tolman put Oregon on top 1-0 with a RBI ground out scoring Payne who walked with one out to start the rally. Heineman added a run-scoring double bringing Healy home for a 2-0 lead.

Arizona State cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the second on a two-out triple by Drew Stankiewicz.

The Ducks pushed the lead to 6-1 with four runs in the top of the third. Baumgartner picked up a RBI with a base hit to right field scoring Heineman. Graham followed with a two-run home run, the first homer of his career, to put the Ducks up 5-1.  Payne picked up a RBI single later in the inning to push the lead to 6-1.

ASU cut the lead to 6-3 with two runs in the fourth, but Oregon answered with a run in the top of the fifth. Thomas ripped a run scoring double to left field to score Graham and give the Ducks a 7-3 lead.

Payne picked up his second RBI of the game in the top of the seventh giving Oregon an 8-3 lead.  The Duck second baseman delivered a two-out single to right field to score Altobelli from second.

Oregon put the game out of reach with eight runs in the eighth. Thomas and Heineman both had two RBI singles, while Graham, Payne and Healy each drove in one run with a base hit. Altobelli picked up a RBI with a bases loaded walk.

Oregon returns to action Tuesday when the Ducks travel to Corvallis for a non-conference game against Oregon State at 4 p.m.

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