Isaac Ayon goes all the way to propel Oregon to series win over Arizona

Isaac Ayon’s complete game and Gavin Grant’s late-inning heroics propels the Ducks to a series win over No. 25 Arizona.

Starting pitching hasn’t exactly been the strength of the 2022 Oregon baseball team. But Isaac Ayon flipped that narrative this afternoon at PK Park.

Ayon threw the first complete game of his college career and Gavin Grant’s run-scoring single in the eighth helped the Ducks down No. 25 Arizona 4-3 to take the weekend series. Oregon will go for the sweep Saturday afternoon.

The Ducks improved to 34-21 overall and 17-12 in conference play with the victory. The win also clinched Oregon the 4-seed in the Pac-12 tournament next week. Defeating Arizona also improved the Ducks’ RPI and their hopes to possibly host an NCAA regional.

But there’s still a way to go before worrying about the post-season.

The story on this day was Ayon, who finished the game in style as he struck out the final five Wildcats. He struck out 10 total batters and walked just three. Ayon’s pitch count was in his favor the whole way and he finished the contest with 98 pitches.

Oregon’s sophomore hurler wasn’t guaranteed, however, as the game was still tied at 3-3 in the eighth inning. The Ducks needed some two-out lighting to scratch across the go-ahead run. Sam Novitske reached on an error and was replaced by Tyler Ganus as a pinch-runner. Jacob Walsh coaxed a walk and Grant smacked a single to center to score Ganus.

The Ducks scored one in the first and then two more in the second thanks to catcher Bennett Thompson’s first career home run.

Arizona managed to rally with a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth and it stayed that way until Grant’s late-inning heroics.

Oregon will now go for the sweep Saturday at noon as the Ducks will send out Jace Stoffal (0-2, 7.00 ERA) against an unknown Arizona starter. It will be Oregon’s last regular-season home game and quite possibly its last game at PK Park for the 2022 campaign.