Ducks baseball loses 12-11 to Michigan in series closer

Sunday afternoon Oregon won the series two out of three but lost the getaway game, 12-11 in a steady drizzle at PK Park.

It was a weird one. The Ducks took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a leadoff home run by Mason Neville, his 14th of the year, tops in the Big Ten.

In the top of the third the Wolverines answered with two runs with two outs. Starter Will Sanford hit a batter, then Turner brought the run home with a triple to right center, Jeffrey Heard diving for ball but not coming up with it. A single by Caruso made it 2-1.

Anson Arroz made a leaping catch at the left field fence, three feet above the wall to rob Ybarra of a two-run homer.

Reliever Ian Umlandt came on in the fifth but struggled with control, 23 pitches to get through the inning. He was touched for two hits and a pair of runs, 6-2 Wolverines.

Oregon closed to 6-4 when Jacob Walsh mashed a two-run homer deep to right.

Oregon took a 7-6 lead with five runs in the fifth. Maddox Molony singled off the end of the bat to left field, driving in Arroz and Meggers, tying the game. The Ducks executed a double steal with two outs, second baseman Ryan Cooney beating the pickoff attempt between first and third while Molony raced home.

Continued bullpen woes undid a potent offense. Four relievers combined to allow 8 earned runs and issue five walks. In the top of the eighth Go Blue got two precious runs on a hit batter, four walks and a wild pitch. The only ball put in play was the groundout to end the inning.

A two-out, three-run homer by Drew Smith got the Ducks back in the game at 12-10, then Neville led off the ninth with his 15th homer of the year, tops in the Big Ten.

The Ducks battled in this game and kept it close with defense. Catcher Chase Meggers threw out two baserunners. In the fourth he backhanded a ball that bounced at the plate, guns down the runner by three steps at second to end the inning. In the top of the ninth, shortstop Molony made a diving stop and scrambled to his feet to throw out the runner and end the inning.

Now 22-8 and 10-4 in the Big Ten, the Ducks are off until Friday when they begin a three-game series with Maryland in College Park, Md. They're in third place, a game behind UCLA at 10-2.

Head coach Mark Wasikowski was thrown out of the game after protesting a strange play where third baseman Carter Garate popped up in foul ground a threw his bat in the vicinity of the first baseman fielding the ball, who dropped it off the heel of his glove.

Though the bat didn't go within six feet of the infielder the umpires reviewed and signaled Garate out for interference. After a lengthy argument the Oregon skipper was tossed, presumably watching the rest of the game with the millionaire and his wife.

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