BERKELEY, Calif. – Another sterling performance from right-hander Joey Matulovich proved just what the doctor ordered for the Cal baseball team as the Bears backed their starter with a pair of two-run rallies and beat Oregon 4-1 in the final game of a three-game series at Evans Diamond.
 
Just like he did one week earlier at Pepperdine, Matulovich worked fast and pounded the strike zone to set the tone for the Bears. This time though, he utilized his defense more than the strikeout, keeping Oregon (13-5, 2-1 Pac-12) off balance just enough to limit an aggressive approach by the Ducks.
 
Cal (9-9, 1-2) did its first damage at the plate in the second inning. A leadoff double to left by Jonah Davis put a runner in scoring position and freshman Max Flower wasted no time in cashing in the chance, sending his own double down the left field line on the first offering from Oregon starter Cole Stringer. Two batters later, Ripken Reyes brought Flower home with a sacrifice fly and Cal owned a 2-0 lead.
 
Matulovich took over through the middle innings. Allowing just one run in the seventh inning, the sophomore from Danville, Calif. kept his pitch count low by inducing several first-pitch outs. By the time he gave the ball to pitching coach Thomas Eager in the ninth, 19 of his 24 outs had come in the air, four came via a ground ball and only one came from a strikeout.
 
"These guys were tough to strike out," Matulovich said. "There were some pitches that other teams would've struck out on and these guys were swinging making contact. A lot of pop-ups but an out's an out."
 
Cal added on to its lead in the eighth inning thanks first to a towering blast by Denis Karas. The junior sent a 1-2 offering high over the wall in left, bouncing it off the Recreational Sports Facility windows on one hop. Tanner Dodson kept the offense going with a double on the next pitch and Davis brought him home, singling up the middle to make it 4-1.
 
A leadoff double and a hit by pitch gave Oregon hope in the ninth but closer Erik Martinez shut the door, striking out a pair of Ducks to earn save No. 3 on the season. Oregon managed just six hits on the day while Cal had eight, led by a two-hit day for both Cameron Eden and Davis.
 
"Pitching made the difference," Cal head coach David Esquer said. "Joey was throwing strikes and he's done it for two weekends for us with just great performances. We can play pretty good defense. If our pitchers throw strikes and get ahead, pitch ahead in the count, we can play some defense behind them. We made some nice plays today."
 
Next up for the Bears is a trip to Los Angeles as Cal faces UCLA for three games beginning Friday at 6 p.m. from Jackie Robinson Stadium. The series continues Saturday at 4 p.m. and the Sunday finale is set for 2 p.m. All three games will be broadcast live by Pac-12 Networks and on Pac-12.com.