In their last two games, the Oregon Ducks baseball team has given up runs in the double digits, including a 13-1 loss to California Friday night.
Saturday starter Grayson Grinsell put a complete halt to that nonsense as he threw six brilliant innings of one-hit ball and it was enough for the Ducks to down the Bears 5-1.
With the win, Oregon moves to 12-6 overall and 3-2 in conference play, while California suffered its first defeat in league action. The Golden Bears fell to 12-4 overall and 4-1 in conference play. These two teams will battle it out Sunday afternoon to who will take the weekend set.
If Oregon receives this kind of pitching in the series finale, it will make it its second conference series win.
Grinsell gave up just one run, one hit and struck out nine in his six innings of work. Reliever Bradley Mullen threw two shutout frames and Logan Mercado coaxed a double play grounder in the ninth to close things out.
Cal was actually up 1-0 in the third, but the Ducks tied the game in the bottom half of the inning thanks to a bases-loaded walk to Anson Aroz. It was one of the great at-bats of the afternoon as he fouled four straight 3-2 pitches off before drawing a walk to force in Carter Garate from third base.
Oregon then brought out the big sticks.
Ryan Cooney gave the Ducks a 3-1 lead with a home run to left field and a little later in the inning, Justin Cassella crushed a homer to dead center field for the 5-1 lead.
That was more than enough offense for Oregon as the trio of Duck pitchers held the Golden Bears to just three hits on the day.
Oregon and California will get together one more time on Sunday with the first pitch set for 12:05 pm at PK Park.