via GoDucks.com
EUGENE – Jace Stoffal allowed just one run in five innings and got help from a pair of relievers as Oregon picked up a 3-2 win in game one of a nonconference series against San Diego at PK Park on Thursday afternoon.
Stoffal held the Toreros (5-2-1) to just two hits while fanning a career-high four in his second start of the season. Matt Dallas pitched 2.2 innings in relief of Stoffal before giving way to closer Josh Mollerus, who got the final four outs to clinch the win. The three Duck pitchers combined to allow just six hits and four walks while fanning eight.
How It Happened:
San Diego jumped on Stoffal early when Jack Costello hit his sixth home run of the season in the top of the first inning.
Oregon (5-3) rallied with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Tanner Smith walked and Sabin Ceballos singled to set the table for Drew Cowley, who doubled into the left-field corner to give the Ducks the 2-1 lead.
It stayed that way until the bottom of the seventh when Jacob Walsh gave Oregon an insurance run. The sophomore lined a leadoff home run over the center-field wall to put Oregon ahead by two.
San Diego cut the lead to one in the top of the eighth, but Mollerus got out of a two-out, two-on jam by getting James Arakawa to pop out to catcher Josiah Cromwick.
Box Score Notes:
The win was the second of Stoffal’s career … Mollerus picked up his second save of the season … Ceballos (2-for-4) had his first career multi-hit game including his team-leading second double … Cowley had his second multiple-RBI game this season and the ninth of his Duck career … Ceballos made his first start at third base, while Bryce Boettcher started in right field for the first time this year (2nd career start in right) … Colby Shade batted in the 2-hole for the first time this season … Tanner Smith started his 171st consecutive game and his 191st overall.
On Deck:
Oregon and San Diego play game two of their four-game series tomorrow at PK Park with a 3:05 p.m. first pitch. The Ducks will send freshman Leo Uelmen (1-1, 3.00) to the mound while the Toreros will counter with junior James Sashin (0-0, 1.17).
Quotes:
Mark Wasikowski
Overall thoughts on the game:
“I’m happy that we won the game. How we played today, I thought we pitched the ball good. I thought we played good defense and there are some things we can clean up offensively and on the bases. For me it was great to see a couple of the hitters catch one on the barrel that had been struggling and get some big hits. (Drew) Cowley, Jacob Walsh and even Colby Shade there at the end. It was good to see some of those positives and try to start building off of those.”
On Jacob Walsh’s home run:
“He could go 15-for-20 too. It’s just baseball. I’m not really worried about those guys, we’ve got talented players that we just need to get going right. What did I see? He crushed it. He crushed a ball. He got a ball that was up and put a great swing on it and I was happy for the kid. He’s been a little of a hard luck guy too. He’s lined out quite a few times and that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet, so I was happy he got one to where they couldn’t catch it.”
On Matt Dallas’ outing:
“He did a fantastic job. He filled up the zone. He did exactly what we needed. Exactly what we needed throughout the entire game from when he got in there. So I was fired up about Matt Dallas. There were several bright spots in the game and he was clearly one of them.”
Jacob Walsh
On the home run:
“It felt good. Ya it felt good. The guys put me in a good spot to get a good pitch to hit.”
On hitting it off a lefty:
“Kind of just sticking to my approach and I trust that it’ll work, so that’s what I did and it worked out.”
Jace Stoffal
Feelings about his start:
“Everything felt good, (pitching coach Jake) Angier called a good game. The defense played really well, we have one of the best defenses in the nation, I think, so it makes it pretty easy to throw a lot of strikes and trust in your defense.”
On whether he was on a pitch count:
“Yes, I was on a pitch count of 60 pitches today. Last week was 30, so hopefully this next week I’ll be able to go 80-plus and just be able to let loose. Obviously, I wanted to go more but the pitch count limited me so we have to follow that.”
Drew Cowley
On getting a win in the opener:
“Just a nice win, good start to the series and looking forward to tomorrow. Hopefully, we can keep it rolling.”
On the 2-RBI double:
“I was just looking for a pitch I could drive. Just got a fast ball and was able to put a good swing on it, found the green and got those two runs which was nice.”
On the team overcoming a slow start at the plate this season:
“Yes, everyone has been competing. Baseball is a game that is up and down, and just trying to compete our butts off and put together good at bats. You could see it through all the guys and tonight was a good team win.”
