The No. 11 Oregon Ducks (3-2) found themselves down one run in the bottom of the ninth in the series opener against the Rhode Island Rams (3-1). The bases were loaded, and utilityman Drew Smith was up to bat. He worked a 1-1 count, then smoked a ball to deep left field. The fans rose to their feet in anticipation of the walk-off slam, but the cold Eugene air killed the ball in the air to end the game.
Oregon’s effort can be applauded, as they scored nine runs in the final four innings after going down 12-4.
“I thought we tried to do too much, especially there at the very end. We had some at-bats get away from us,” manager Mark Wasikowski said. “I think Mason [Neville] had one early in the ball game that could’ve turned the tide in the game, as did a couple other guys.”
Oregon starting pitcher Grayson Grinsell picked up where he left off last weekend by striking out the first batter he saw. A single threatened him with two outs in the inning, but Grinsell maneuvered around and got out of it.
The Ducks went quietly in their half despite a single from designated hitter Dominic Hellman. When the Rams came back up to bat in the second, they drew first blood. Grinsell walked the lead-off batter, who was moved over after a sacrifice bunt. Rhode Island converted on the mom-and-pop baseball by knocking in that run from second off a double from Rams second baseman Rob Butler.
It looked like a big inning was in store for Rhode Island, yet Grinsell struck out the next batter and popped up the next, ending their half of the inning.
Oregon was able to punch back in the next inning with a little help from the Rams. The inning seemed like a dud after a double-play wiped the leadoff single by shortstop Maddox Maloney. The right fielder Smith wasn’t ready to let it go yet as he caught the defense lacking by poking a double to the opposite field. A poor pick-off attempt at second advanced Smith to third, who was then redirected home after a balk to knot this game at one. The two-out rally almost continued due to back-to-back singles from third baseman Carter Garate and second baseman Ryan Cooney, but the hype died down once center fielder Mason Neville left the bat on his shoulder to end the inning.
The third and fourth innings featured cold offenses on both sides. Grinsell hung tough by picking up another strikeout after giving up the run in the second, but double-plays and poor baserunning plagued the Oregon offense and shut down any threat at that point.
Grinsell showed off his abilities again in the fifth, striking out another for the second out. He then let up a single the next at-bat. Afterward, in a Clayton Kershaw-esque move, he caught the runner sleeping in the baseline and threw it over to Walsh, who gunned him down at second to end the inning.
Neville felt that momentum built up by Grinsell. With one out in the fifth, he bombed one to right field to give Oregon the 2-1 lead.
The lead was short-lived for the Ducks. Rhode Island responded immediately with a double from third baseman Anthony DePino. He advanced on a wild pitch and then was knocked in by a single to tie the game. A nice catch off a bunt from Walsh notched the first out for the Ducks. Afterward, the Rams singled, and Grinsell was pulled for reliever Santiago Garcia. First baseman DJ Perron greeted the new arm by sending one deep to left field for a go-ahead three-run-homer that just snuck past the foul pole to put them up 5-2.
Rhode Island wasn’t done yet. A walk knocked Garcia out of the game for reliever Ryan Featherston, who walked the first batter he faced. Oregon was able to get that elusive second out, but the third would have to wait. Rams center fielder Adonis Medina went opposite field and just snuck it over the wall for the second three-run jack of the inning.
“They had a good solid hitting plan where they didn't try to do too much,” Wasikowski said. “They’re feisty, they’re old, they stand in there and they spoil a lot of pitches. It’s impressive the toughness and the grit they show.”
Oregon answered quickly with a leadoff homer from catcher Anson Aroz. Left fielder Jack Brooks stole a base with one out and then came around to score thanks to a Garate single. The inning finally ended and the Ducks had a mountain to climb down 8-4.
The seventh was defined by subpar defense from Oregon. It needed a shutdown inning, and it did not come here. The first three batters reached for the Rams which knocked Featherston out of the game for reliever Seth Mattox. A single then scored the runner on third. Oregon had a chance to limit the damage with a double-play ball, but Cooney, the second baseman, threw it away past the covering Molony. This bungle scored two runs, and another was tacked on a batter later with a single. Those two grueling half-innings were finally put to rest, and Oregon found itself down 12-4.
Oregon stayed resilient, though. The Ducks worked the bases loaded and picked up a free walk-in run. Smith then moved them station-to-station with a single to make it 12-6, and a wild pitch to pinch-hitter Coen Niclai scored one more. Hopefuls at PK Park saw life in the team, and while Oregon would’ve liked more in that after leaving the bases loaded, the deficit was down to five.
A quick top of the eighth gave the Ducks a deep sigh of relief. That inning was also a great sign from reliever Julien Hernandez, who struggled last week but put up a zero in his two innings today.
The comeback attempt was alive and well when Oregon ended up with bases loaded and nobody out in the eighth. Molony stepped up to the plate and got hit by a pitch, bringing in a run and electrifying the Oregon bench. Brooks avoided disaster by legging out a double play chance that scored another run. The Ducks again could’ve capitalized more with runners on, but a Smith strikeout and a pinch hitter Burke-Lee Mabeus flyout ended the inning and the score was 12-9 Rams.
Rhode Island went down quietly and the Ducks were down to their last three outs. Cooney flew out to center and then Oregon got to work. Neville and Hellman walked, then Walsh ripped a double to the right-field corner. Neville scored from second, and pinch runner Jax Gimenez got on his horse and scored from first. PK Park was rocking, and the Ram’s lead was down to one. Aroz got hit by a pitch to reload the bases, but that was it. Brooks struck out swinging, and Smith flew to deep left to seal the 12-11 Rhode Island victory.
“We also had some at-bats that were really poised, disciplined at-bats, like Jacob slamming a double into the right field corner,” Wasikowski said. “That was a really poised, good disciplined at bat.”
Walsh led the way for the Oregon offense in the series opener, going 3-6 with a double and two RBIs.
Oregon will get two chances to make up for the loss with a doubleheader against Rhode Island on Saturday, Feb. 22, with an 11:05 a.m. first pitch.