Saturday, February 22
Eugene, Ore.
11:05 a.m.
University of Oregon
1
vs
0
Rhode Island
Photo by: © Deborah Mundorff
Ducks show versatility in doubleheader sweep
02/22/25 | Baseball
EUGENE, Ore. — No. 11 Oregon showed on Saturday at PK Park that it can win in a variety of ways. The Ducks picked up an extra-inning win in a 1-0 pitcher's duel in game one of the doubleheader, before downing Rhode Island 19-12 in a slugfest in the nightcap.
Three Ducks' pitchers – Collin Clarke, Cole Stokes, Gabe Howard -- combined on a five-hit shutout in an 11-inning opener while striking out nine and walking just two.
The trio of Ducks' hurlers did not allow a base runner past second base and did not all two runners on base at the same time until the top of the 11th inning.
Game two was a different story with the two teams combining to score in all but five of the 17 half innings. Mason Neville homered twice and drove in four runs while Jacob Walsh added a pair of run-scoring doubles and finished with three RBI.
The Ducks moved to 5-2 with the doubleheader sweep, while Rhode Island fell to 3-3.
Game 1: Oregon 1, Rhode Island 0 (11 Innings)
Ducks' starter Colin Clarke and Rams' starter Trystan Levesque locked horns in a pitching duel with neither allowing a run during their time on the mound.
How It Happened: Clarke matched his career high, tossing seven innings for the second time this season while allowing just four hits and a walk while fanning five. Levesque held the Ducks to three hits and two walks while fanning nine while throwing 119 pitches over 10 innings of work.
Cole Stokes came out of the pen in the eighth and tossed two scoreless innings and did not allow a hit while fanning four of the seven batters he faced. Freshman Gabe Howard finished the game not allowing a run in the 10th or 11th innings while picking up his first career win.
Oregon was finally able to get a run across in the bottom of the 11th inning to even the series at one game apiece. Ryan Cooney singled with one out before swiping second base to put a runner in scoring position. Cooney moved to third on a Neville ground out before scoring the game-winning run on a Reece Moroney throwing error on a Dominic Hellman ground ball.
Game 2: Oregon 19, Toledo 12
The Ducks scored 19 runs on just nine hits while benefitting from eight Rams' walks, five hit-by-pitches and three errors. Oregon scored in every inning they batted except the third including an eight-run inning, a four-run inning and a pair of two-run innings.
How It Happened: The Ducks drew first blood thanks to some help from URI. Moroney dropped a pop fly in shallow center field with two outs setting up an Anson Aroz two-run homer.
Rhode Island answered with five runs in the top of the second to take the lead. The Rams took advantage of four walks and a HBP while also putting four hits on the board.
Oregon got one run back in the second on a Ryan Cooney RBI ground out that scored Jax Gimenez, before the Rams added three unearned runs in the top of the fourth inning for an 8-3 lead.
Oregon took the lead in its half of the fourth putting eight on the board with just one hit. Four Ducks reached in the inning on walks while three more were hit by pitches.
Jack Brooks led off the frame with a walk, moved to second when Cooney was hit by a pitch and to third to load the bases on a Garate base on balls. Neville drove in Brooks with another walk before Cooney scored when Helman got hit by a pitch to cut the led to 8-5.
Walsh delivered Oregon's lone hit of the inning with a two-run bases-loaded double over the center fielder's head to make it a one-run game. Aroz walked to load the bases again and then Burke-Lee Mabeus tied the game with a hit-by-pitch.
Gimenez finally gave Oregon the lead with Walsh scoring on a Gimenez fielder's choice. Gimenez then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher that allowed Aroz to score. Brooks picked up the final RBI of the inning with a sacrifice fly that scored Gimenez.
The Rams cut the lead to two with a run in the top of the fifth inning, but Oregon answered with four more runs in its half of the inning and another in the sixth.
Garate started the fifth-inning rally reaching on a HBP before an error on a ground ball hit by Neville put runners at first and second. Walsh added another run scoring double for the inning's first run, before Mabeus added an RBI single. Gimenez then drew a bases-loaded walk before Brooks capped the scoring in the inning with a sacrifice fly.
Neville hit an opposite field homer in the sixth inning to give the Ducks a 16-9 lead. URI got two back in the seventh inning, before Oregon answered with a Brooks' RBI double.
Rhode Island got another run in the eighth inning but Oregon answered again, this time with two runs. Garate doubled to lead off the inning before Neville drilled his second home run of the game.
Doubleheader Notes: The two teams combined for nine hits in game one before combing for 24 in game two … Neville homered twice in a game for the third time in his career … Walsh drove in multiple runs for the 37th time in his career, tying Spencer Steer (2017-19) for the most in school history … Gimenez made his first career start in game two of the doubleheader … The Ducks played the night cap without Maddox Molony, Drew Smith, Jeffery Heard and Chase Meggers … Freshman two-way player Tyler Jones made his career debut as a pinch runner in game one before playing second base … In game two he took the mound for the first time, tossing a scoreless 1.1 innings with his first strikeout.
On Deck: The two teams wrap up their four-game series with a 12:05 p.m. first pitch on Sunday. The Ducks can clinch the series with a win.
Quotes:
Head Coach Mark Wasikowski
On the games today...
"The objective was to win two games today and we did. We knew that their number one guy was throwing in the first game, the left hander and he's really good. There's a reason he shined in the Cape Cod League last summer and he's a really good pitcher. Came off of an injury las year and didn't pitch a lot. He only had two starts, but we knew how good he was as advertised."
On the pitching from Collin Clark in Game 1...
"It was an unbelievable pitcher's dual. Both of those guys just went back and forth and matched pitches. I was impressed that Collin (Clark) didn't back down. There guy was pitching very well and so was our guy. It was a really well pitched game."
On confidence in the bullpen after Game 1...
"They have the pieces to be really good and we haven't put them all together yet, but it's pretty clear that we have the pieces to be really good. The night game tonight, it's dumping rain and going to be a sloppy gig and just to be able to get out of this game with a win is really important when the conditions turn bad. Those guys were dominant today and it was good to see."
Gabe Howard
On bouncing back from Friday's loss…
"For sure. I mean, we were attacking all day. Pitchers were attacking first game for sure, a lot of zeros on the board which we're happy to see. Bats were coming around, so it's really nice to stack up those runs
On the identity of this team…
"For sure, we're a gritty team. We're always looking for hits, looking to win. We're attacking everybody, no one we're looking at that we can't beat."
On staying rooted as a staff after allowing double-digit runs…
"Yeah, for sure. I mean, we're just going back to our basics in our process of attacking the zone early, we have to find it. I mean, if you don't attack the zone early, you probably got more walks on your hands, so we have to eliminate those."
Collin Clarke
On what putting a zero up means to the pitching staff…
"Yeah, I mean, it means everything. I'd say it won us the game is just keeping the score down and trusting the guys behind me. Stokes, Howard just keeping the 0-0 ball game."
Mason Neville
On the message in the dugout after struggling at the plate…
"Yeah, sometimes it's ugly, and so good teams find a way to get a win when it's like that. We've played a couple games like that last year, close games, solid pitching performance from the other guy. Yeah, just trusting in our guys and trusting in our pitchers to go out there and pitch zeros or keep it close and then eventually something will happen. And that's what took place. So, yeah, just having confidence all the way through."
On sitting pitches for both Home Runs today…
"The backside one, he got me on a changeup that I rolled over on the at bat before that. So, I was just really focusing on letting it get deep. And I didn't exactly get all of that kind of how I wanted to, but just try to put a good swing on it and let the ball travel a little bit more. And the other one, just kind of saw the ball and hit it, you know."
Three Ducks' pitchers – Collin Clarke, Cole Stokes, Gabe Howard -- combined on a five-hit shutout in an 11-inning opener while striking out nine and walking just two.
The trio of Ducks' hurlers did not allow a base runner past second base and did not all two runners on base at the same time until the top of the 11th inning.
Game two was a different story with the two teams combining to score in all but five of the 17 half innings. Mason Neville homered twice and drove in four runs while Jacob Walsh added a pair of run-scoring doubles and finished with three RBI.
The Ducks moved to 5-2 with the doubleheader sweep, while Rhode Island fell to 3-3.
Game 1: Oregon 1, Rhode Island 0 (11 Innings)
Ducks' starter Colin Clarke and Rams' starter Trystan Levesque locked horns in a pitching duel with neither allowing a run during their time on the mound.
How It Happened: Clarke matched his career high, tossing seven innings for the second time this season while allowing just four hits and a walk while fanning five. Levesque held the Ducks to three hits and two walks while fanning nine while throwing 119 pitches over 10 innings of work.
Cole Stokes came out of the pen in the eighth and tossed two scoreless innings and did not allow a hit while fanning four of the seven batters he faced. Freshman Gabe Howard finished the game not allowing a run in the 10th or 11th innings while picking up his first career win.
Oregon was finally able to get a run across in the bottom of the 11th inning to even the series at one game apiece. Ryan Cooney singled with one out before swiping second base to put a runner in scoring position. Cooney moved to third on a Neville ground out before scoring the game-winning run on a Reece Moroney throwing error on a Dominic Hellman ground ball.
Game 2: Oregon 19, Toledo 12
The Ducks scored 19 runs on just nine hits while benefitting from eight Rams' walks, five hit-by-pitches and three errors. Oregon scored in every inning they batted except the third including an eight-run inning, a four-run inning and a pair of two-run innings.
How It Happened: The Ducks drew first blood thanks to some help from URI. Moroney dropped a pop fly in shallow center field with two outs setting up an Anson Aroz two-run homer.
Rhode Island answered with five runs in the top of the second to take the lead. The Rams took advantage of four walks and a HBP while also putting four hits on the board.
Oregon got one run back in the second on a Ryan Cooney RBI ground out that scored Jax Gimenez, before the Rams added three unearned runs in the top of the fourth inning for an 8-3 lead.
Oregon took the lead in its half of the fourth putting eight on the board with just one hit. Four Ducks reached in the inning on walks while three more were hit by pitches.
Jack Brooks led off the frame with a walk, moved to second when Cooney was hit by a pitch and to third to load the bases on a Garate base on balls. Neville drove in Brooks with another walk before Cooney scored when Helman got hit by a pitch to cut the led to 8-5.
Walsh delivered Oregon's lone hit of the inning with a two-run bases-loaded double over the center fielder's head to make it a one-run game. Aroz walked to load the bases again and then Burke-Lee Mabeus tied the game with a hit-by-pitch.
Gimenez finally gave Oregon the lead with Walsh scoring on a Gimenez fielder's choice. Gimenez then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher that allowed Aroz to score. Brooks picked up the final RBI of the inning with a sacrifice fly that scored Gimenez.
The Rams cut the lead to two with a run in the top of the fifth inning, but Oregon answered with four more runs in its half of the inning and another in the sixth.
Garate started the fifth-inning rally reaching on a HBP before an error on a ground ball hit by Neville put runners at first and second. Walsh added another run scoring double for the inning's first run, before Mabeus added an RBI single. Gimenez then drew a bases-loaded walk before Brooks capped the scoring in the inning with a sacrifice fly.
Neville hit an opposite field homer in the sixth inning to give the Ducks a 16-9 lead. URI got two back in the seventh inning, before Oregon answered with a Brooks' RBI double.
Rhode Island got another run in the eighth inning but Oregon answered again, this time with two runs. Garate doubled to lead off the inning before Neville drilled his second home run of the game.
Doubleheader Notes: The two teams combined for nine hits in game one before combing for 24 in game two … Neville homered twice in a game for the third time in his career … Walsh drove in multiple runs for the 37th time in his career, tying Spencer Steer (2017-19) for the most in school history … Gimenez made his first career start in game two of the doubleheader … The Ducks played the night cap without Maddox Molony, Drew Smith, Jeffery Heard and Chase Meggers … Freshman two-way player Tyler Jones made his career debut as a pinch runner in game one before playing second base … In game two he took the mound for the first time, tossing a scoreless 1.1 innings with his first strikeout.
On Deck: The two teams wrap up their four-game series with a 12:05 p.m. first pitch on Sunday. The Ducks can clinch the series with a win.
Quotes:
Head Coach Mark Wasikowski
On the games today...
"The objective was to win two games today and we did. We knew that their number one guy was throwing in the first game, the left hander and he's really good. There's a reason he shined in the Cape Cod League last summer and he's a really good pitcher. Came off of an injury las year and didn't pitch a lot. He only had two starts, but we knew how good he was as advertised."
On the pitching from Collin Clark in Game 1...
"It was an unbelievable pitcher's dual. Both of those guys just went back and forth and matched pitches. I was impressed that Collin (Clark) didn't back down. There guy was pitching very well and so was our guy. It was a really well pitched game."
On confidence in the bullpen after Game 1...
"They have the pieces to be really good and we haven't put them all together yet, but it's pretty clear that we have the pieces to be really good. The night game tonight, it's dumping rain and going to be a sloppy gig and just to be able to get out of this game with a win is really important when the conditions turn bad. Those guys were dominant today and it was good to see."
Gabe Howard
On bouncing back from Friday's loss…
"For sure. I mean, we were attacking all day. Pitchers were attacking first game for sure, a lot of zeros on the board which we're happy to see. Bats were coming around, so it's really nice to stack up those runs
On the identity of this team…
"For sure, we're a gritty team. We're always looking for hits, looking to win. We're attacking everybody, no one we're looking at that we can't beat."
On staying rooted as a staff after allowing double-digit runs…
"Yeah, for sure. I mean, we're just going back to our basics in our process of attacking the zone early, we have to find it. I mean, if you don't attack the zone early, you probably got more walks on your hands, so we have to eliminate those."
Collin Clarke
On what putting a zero up means to the pitching staff…
"Yeah, I mean, it means everything. I'd say it won us the game is just keeping the score down and trusting the guys behind me. Stokes, Howard just keeping the 0-0 ball game."
Mason Neville
On the message in the dugout after struggling at the plate…
"Yeah, sometimes it's ugly, and so good teams find a way to get a win when it's like that. We've played a couple games like that last year, close games, solid pitching performance from the other guy. Yeah, just trusting in our guys and trusting in our pitchers to go out there and pitch zeros or keep it close and then eventually something will happen. And that's what took place. So, yeah, just having confidence all the way through."
On sitting pitches for both Home Runs today…
"The backside one, he got me on a changeup that I rolled over on the at bat before that. So, I was just really focusing on letting it get deep. And I didn't exactly get all of that kind of how I wanted to, but just try to put a good swing on it and let the ball travel a little bit more. And the other one, just kind of saw the ball and hit it, you know."
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