EUGENE, ORE. – Neither team did much offensively on the Saturday matinee, as both sides combined tallied eight hits in 59 at-bats. But it was Oregon who was able to do enough, scoring five runs – four via a pair of 2-run home runs to take game two of the series 5-1 at PK Park.
A day after scoring 13 runs on 12 hits, Cal (12-4, 4-1 Pac-12) managed just one run on three hits on Saturday. The Bears struck out 13 times and could not get the clutch base hit it needed to wake the offense up, going 1-for-10 with runners on base and 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
Oregon (12-6, 3-2) got a tremendous pitching performance from starter Grayson Grinsell (2-2). The lefty went six complete and only allowed four base runners to reach. He struck out nine.
Trey Newmann (0-2) matched Grinsell with back-to-back quick innings in the first and second. The freshman retired the first seven batters he faced – two via a strikeout before allowing a run in the top of the third. His afternoon ended in the bottom of the fourth when Oregon got the first of two, 2-run home runs in the inning to take the 5-1 lead. Newmann's tossed 3.1 innings pitched, allowing three hits, and four runs – all earned, with two walks and four strikeouts.
Relief pitcher
Christian Becerra had his best outing of the season for the Golden Bears. He went 4.0 complete and matched his career high with seven strikeouts.
The Bears scored first in the top of the third. Grinsell retired the first seven batters he faced before issuing a five-pitch walk, a hit batter and another five-pitch walk to load the bases for
Caleb Lomavita with two outs. With the count 1-2, Lomavita got the Bears on the board the hard way, getting hit by a pitch in the shoulder. Grinsell got out of the jam getting the next batter to pop out to short.
The Ducks' Anson Aroz got the Ducks on the board in the bottom of the third to tie the game 1-1. Aroz got the better of Newmann, winning a nine-pitch duel, drawing a bases-loaded walk. Aroz fouled off four-straight pitches before watching ball four sail high. Newmann limited the damage but was unable to get out of the fourth.
With one on and one out, Ryan Cooney gave Oregon its first lead of the series. Connecting on a 2-1 offering and sending it over the left field fence for his fifth home run of the season. A one-out single back up the middle to Carter Garate ended the day for Newmann.
Jake Guardiancic came in but fell victim to a 2-run home run to Justin Casella to make it 5-1 Oregon.
The four-run lead was enough for Grinsell who struck out five of the last six batters he faced including the side in the sixth. Oregon's bullpen took over in the seventh and kept the Bears off the scoreboard. The duo of Bradley Mullan and Logan Mercado pitched three scoreless innings. In the top of the ninth, the Bears got two aboard with one out, but Mercado got Cal to hit into a game-ending 6-3 double play.
The rubber match is scheduled for a 12:05 p.m. first pitch. Cal is scheduled to start RHP
Tom Mayer, and Oregon is slated to counter with RHP Kevin Seitter.
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