To be fair, RJ Gordon deserved better.
The Oregon Ducks Friday night starter pitched really well, but UCLA’s Jake Brooks was just a little better as the Bruins defeated Oregon 3-2 in the first game of a three-game weekend series in Los Angeles.
Gordon pitched his best game of the season through 5 2/3 innings. But a single and a JonJon Vaughns home run tied the game and knocked the Ducks pitcher out of the game after 106 pitches. UCLA scored one more in the inning, which was charged to Gordon and he became the hard-luck loser.
With the loss, Oregon dropped to 18-8 overall and 7-3 in league play. UCLA improved to 17-8 and 4-3 in Pac-12 action.
For the first time all season, the Ducks couldn’t solve a starting pitcher as Brooks was absolutely dominating over eight innings. He gave up just two runs, six hits and three strikeouts. The only blemish was Sam Novitske’s two-run homer in the fifth. It was his first homer of the season and just the second of his career.
Oregon attempted to rally in the ninth as Jacob Walsh led the frame off with a double. That was when the Bruins pulled Brooks and at that point, the Ducks would have liked to see anyone else on that mound.
But freshman Gage Jump coaxed a pop out, a groundout and then struck out Josiah Cromwick to end the game.
These two teams will be back at it Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. for Game 2 of the series. Oregon will send out Isaac Ayon (2-0, 5.74 ERA) and he will face Max Rajcic (2-3, 2.92 ERA).