The Oregon Ducks baseball team’s win streak came to a close on Friday afternoon with a 6-1 loss to the Santa Barbara Gauchos. This was the first game of a three-game series against the Gauchos that will continue this weekend. Throughout most of the game, there was steady wind and rain, which probably contributed to Oregon’s lack of offense.
In the top of the first inning, the Ducks gave up three runs, after Santa Barbara’s first three batters picked up base hits. After that shaky first inning, Oregon starting pitcher RJ Gordon cleaned up his pitching, allowing only one hit after the first three batters he faced got knocks. In 4.2 innings pitched Gordon struck out 6 batters as well.
Through all nine innings, Santa Barbara had dominant pitching. The Gauchos’ starter Matt Ager pitched 6.1 innings, allowing just 4 hits, 2 walks, and 0 earned runs, striking out 8 Ducks along the way. Ager’s replacement from the bullpen, Cole Tryba, was equally dominant, giving up no earned runs, 3 baserunners, and striking out 5 batters to close the game for the Gauchos.
Oregon tried to make things interesting with a rally in the ninth inning. Things kicked off with a leadoff single from Oregon’s third-baseman Drew Smith, and then two more batters reached base to load the bases. But with two outs, Ducks centerfielder Bryce Boettcher came to the plate and grounded out to the Gauchos shortstop to end the game.
The Ducks will have their next games against Santa Barbara on Saturday and Sunday, and hopefully, they’ll be able to bring more offense to the field. Oregon finished Friday’s game with just 6 hits (all singles) and 3 bases on balls, and the Ducks’ only run came off of a sacrifice fly in the 5th inning. To start the season, Oregon’s bats have been hot, so hopefully they can swing back into form for the next two games of the series.
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