A huge ninth-inning rally pushed the Oregon Ducks (32-22, 12-13) past the Utah Utes (16-31-1, 7-17-1) 3-2 on Friday, extending their win streak to four.
Oregon gave all three runs away to Utah unearned. Starting pitcher Cole Irvin allowed just six hits and two walks in seven strong innings, but Tim Susnara committed passed balls in consecutive innings, each causing a run to score from third.
Until the ninth inning, the Ducks failed to convert with runners in scoring position. They left two runners on base in five different innings; sJakob Goldfarb and Brandon Cuddy stranded four each. Oregon closed a 2-0 deficit in the sixth with consecutive RBI-groundouts by Cuddy and Daniel Patzlaff.
In the top of the ninth, Mitchell Tolman put the team on his shoulders like he’s done time and time again. On a 2-2 count, he laced his 43rd career double to left, scoring Nick Catalano and tying the score at 3-3. The hit also tied the Ryon Healy’s Oregon all-time career doubles record. Tolman broke Healy’s all-time career RBIs and career multi-RBI games last week.
For the third time this season, Manager George Horton called on freshman Kyle Kasser, who came into the game with 11 at bats, with the bases loaded and the game on the line. Three out of three times, Kasser forced the opposing pitcher to give away the winning run. The first two times Kasser drew walks; today he watched a wild pitch carom off the backstop and Mitchell Tolman cross the plate from third, giving Oregon a 4-3 lead.
The Ducks weren’t finished. Kasser proceeded to bloop an opposite-field single to left and the ball bounced past Utah left-fielder Jayson Rose for an error. Kasser landed on third and both runners scored. Mark Karaviotis and Catalano extended the rally with RBI singles, capping a six-run ninth inning. The final score stood 8-3, Oregon.
At sixth in the Pac-12 with six games to play, Oregon is likely on the outside looking in at an NCAA tournament bid. Game two between Oregon and Utah will be televised tomorrow at 1 p.m. on Pac-12 Networks.