Text Story: Scott Wardwell
The Oregon Ducks took on the Milwaukee Panthers in an action packed baseball Saturday double header. The offense was clicking on all cylinders, as they put up 12 runs between both games, resulting in 7-2 and 6-0 victories.
Aaron Zavala provided the offense for the Ducks, leading the team with five hits and four RBI. Peyton Fuller had a great game on the mound in the second game of the day, finishing with eight strikeouts, no earned runs, and just two hits allowed.
The first game was preluded by some rain, but the field was able to dry out enough for the game to go on. Robert Ahlstrom got the start on the mound for the Ducks, and came out strong. After allowing a lead-off single to Adam LaRock, he came back and retired the next three Panthers he faced.
The Ducks started their productive day offensively right away, with Sam Olsson ripping a single into right field which scored Tanner Smith. To follow that one up, Zavala hit a liner up the middle to score Gabe Matthews.
After a quiet second inning for the Ducks, Zavala got up to the dish again and took full advantage, lining another single into center field, scoring Yovan. Evan Williams then did his part in the victory, roping a double into right center, which scored two to extend the lead to 5-0.
The Ducks carried the third inning momentum into the fourth, as they put up two more runs to move the lead to 7-0.
Ahlstrom continued to roll with ease throughout the game, but fatigue got the best of him in the seventh. The Panthers were finally able to piece together some offense, and put up two runs in the inning thanks to Nate DeYoung and Jack Kraus coming up with RBI hits.
Besides the seventh inning, the Panthers never really got anything going offensively, and as a result fell to the Ducks on a final of 7-2.
More showers ensued after the end of game number one, causing a slight rain delay - but the show went on, and the first pitch of game number two was delivered around 5:25.
Peyton Fuller started at pitcher for the Ducks, and Mike Edwards for Milwaukee.
Fuller was magnificent for the Ducks, as he finished with eight strikeouts, one hit and no earned runs in six innings of work. The Panthers struggled mightily to make contact with his off speed pitches all night long, and again never got much going.
The Ducks didn’t have the same explosive offense as they did in the first game, but a huge five run third inning proved to be more than enough for their third straight win against Milwaukee.
The rally started when Yovan crushed a hard hit ball down the third baseline and into left, scoring Gavin Grant for the first Duck run of the game.
Zavala followed that one up and continued his big day with a two RBI single to right with two outs, scoring Yovan and Smith to open the game up 3-0. But the Ducks weren’t done there, as AJ Miller pulverized a ball into deep center field, scoring Zavala and Matthews to tack on two more runs to the lead.
After the third, not much was going for either side as the pitchers dueled it out, until Williams tried stealing second base in the seventh inning, and a throwing error was made allowing Yovan to add another run to the lead.
The score stayed there for the final two innings, and the Ducks took their sixth straight victory at PK Park, 6-0. They will play the Panthers one more time tomorrow at noon, before going on a road trip to Hawaii.
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Audio Story: Ryan Milano