Grayson Grinsell (9-2) pitched a two-hit complete-game shutout, striking out eight as the Ducks soared to a run-rule victory at Iowa Thursday night, 10-0. A grand slam home run by Carter Garate highlighted a five-run 4th.
In Pasadena, Northwestern beat UCLA, 9-4. With games to play Friday and Saturday the Big Ten standings look like this:
Iowa 21-7
UCLA 20-8
Oregon 20-8
At Duane Banks Field in Iowa City the Ducks got a run in the 1st when Dominic Hellman singled with one out, Jacob Walsh followed with a single and Drew Smith singled to drive Hellman home.
Grinsell kept stringing up zeroes. He let Iowa threaten in the 1st, hitting a batter and walking the next one after starting the inning with a strikeout, two on with one out, but got two flyouts to end the inning.
He set them down in order in the 2nd, allowed a leadoff single in the third, struck out Strohmeyer swinging, then catcher Burke-Lee Mabeus erased the runner at second, a strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play.
Grinsell mowed the Hawkeyes down in order in the fourth, stranded a single baserunner in the 5th, 6th and 7th to go the distance.
At the plate, shortstop Maddox Molony struck a pair of home runs. When Ryan Cooney sent a breaking ball over the right field fence, it made it a 10-0 run-rule whitewash and gave the Webfoots 100 round trippers for the season.
The two teams meet tonight at 4:02 p.m. PDT at Banks Field. Another win puts the Ducks in a first-place tie with the final game of the regular season on Saturday at 10:02 a.m. PDT. Collin Clarke and Jason Reitz have the pitching assignments for the Ducks.