At this time of the season, non-conference games are almost just as important as conference games. You don’t want to lose games you’re supposed to win, especially with a huge Pac-12 series coming up at PK Park.
The Oregon baseball team started the week off right with a brief two-game series sweep over Gonzaga. The Ducks scored seven runs in the seventh inning to take Game 1 by the score of 11-4.
Offense was the order of the day once again on Wednesday after the Ducks hit a couple of homers and stole seven bases on their way to a 10-5 win over the Bulldogs.
Drew Smith hit his first collegiate home run in the seventh inning and Josiah Cromwick followed with a solo homer of his own in the very next inning.
Gonzaga drew first blood in the opening frame with a three-run home run from Sam Stem. Although going down 3-0 before you even come to bat isn’t usually a recipe for success, the Ducks were able to get off the deck and score 10 unanswered runs.
Oregon scored two in the third and then took the lead for good in the fifth on a single from Smith to make it 4-3. With single runs in the sixth and seventh, Oregon blew the game wide open in the eighth with four more runs.
Gonzaga made it interesting in the ninth as they scored two and had the bases loaded, but Austin Anderson coaxed Stem to fly out to center to end the game.
After a much-needed day off, the Ducks will now prepare for the first-place Sun Devils to make their way to PK Park for a big weekend series. Arizona State is ranked 12th in the nation with a 28-13 overall record and 13-4 in conference action.
Meanwhile, Oregon will come into the series with a 28-12 record and 11-7 in Pac-12 play, 2.5 games out of first. A sweep would be huge for the Ducks’ chances to host a regional, but even winning the series would go a long way toward that goal for postseason play.
Game 1 with the Sun Devils is set for Friday at 5:05 pm.
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