Oregon Ducks Walk Off Walk in Win Over Oregon State

Oregon and Oregon State met for the first of three games and the first Civil War of the season at PK Park on Friday night. The weather was cool with rain expected before the end of the game giving extra meaning to a good start for the Oregon Ducks. The Ducks would need to continue the momentum they started on Tuesday night against Portland with fifteen hits in an 11-3 win over the Pilots. The game would start with Sophomore Cole Irvin on the mound for the Ducks who needed a more than solid outing to give the Oregon Offense a chance to get on the board.

Irvin would give up two hits in the first inning but ultimately get out of the inning striking out one. Oregon State pitcher Andrew Moore entered the game with a 1.63 ERA on the season and would not allow a Duck hit in the first inning inducing two flyball outs. Irvin settled in for the second and had two strikeouts and a flyout. The game was starting to turn into a pitchers duel between Ivin and Moore.

Jakob Goldfarb would get the first hit of the game for the Oregon Ducks in the bottom of the fourth inning with one out. Mitchell Tolman would then hit into a double play to end the inning. The Beavers would put a run on the board in the top of the fifth inning and take the lead. Irvin would get out of the inning and bring his strikeout count to five for the game. Oregon would strike back.

Mark Karaviotis would come through in the bottom of the fifth ending up on third base off a throwing error to score the tying run. Irvin would allow no damage in the top of the sixth, but coming off Tommy John Surgery the question remained how much longer he would remain in the game. Leadoff man Matt Eureste would make it interesting in the bottom of the sixth and would take second after a wide throw to first in an attempt to throw him out. Mitchell Tolman would come to the plate with two outs. Tolman would be hit by a pitch for the thirty-second time in his career and take first base bringing up Phil Craig-St. Louis would would line out. Irvin would return to the mound for the seventh inning.

The longest Irvin has gone this season has been five and two thirds innings. He is in territory he has not seen since his Freshman season and allowed two hits in the top of the seventh. Oregon Head Coach George Horton would visit the mound with no one in the bullpen and Irvin would remain in the game and get out of the inning. Mark Karviotis and Shaun Chase would make it interesting in the bottom of the seventh.

Karaviotis would be hit by a pitch and Chase would work an 0-2 count to his favor at 3-2 and walk putting men on first and second base for Austin Grebeck. Oregon State would get out of the inning as Grebeck lined out the first base. Stephen Nagosek would come in to relieve Cole Irvin whose night would be done giving up one run on nine scattered hits nine hits in seven innings.

Oregon State would score a run in the inning to take a 2-1 lead with two outs. Nagosek would strike out Joe Gillette to close out the top of the eighth inning, but the damage was done. Oregon State would pull Moore from the game with one out in the bottom of the eighth. The Beavers would get out of it unscathed after Goldfarb got on base and stole second. Nagosek would be out again to start the ninth inning for the Ducks.

Nagosek would get the first two outs of the ninth inning and Garrett Cleavinger would be called upon for the final out of the top of the ninth. The Ducks would make it interesting with two men on and two outs and Grebeck at the plate. He would come through on two errors by the Oregon State Defense as he was safe at first and the tying run scored from second. Matt Eureste would come to the plate with the chance to be the hero. He would walk loading the bases bringing up Pinch Hitter Kyle Kasser. He would work the count to three and one and a full count before walking in the winning run. Oregon won 3-2.

For the game Oregon would muster just two hits and one run and fall to Oregon State. Game two of the series is set for Saturday night at 7:30pm Pacific Time on Pac-12 Networks.