Monday, May 20
Riverside, Calif.
1:00 PM
University of Oregon
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at
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UC Riverside
Photo by: Rylee Marron / Eric Evans Photography
Strong Pitching Efforts Not Enough in Loss
05/20/19 | Baseball
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Oregon got solid efforts on the mound from three pitchers while Sam Novitske delivered three hits but missed opportunities cost the Ducks in a 3-1 loss at UC Riverside Monday at Riverside Baseball complex.
How it Happened: Steer again came through to put the Ducks on the board with an RBI single in the top of the first. He singled home Novitske who led off the game with a walk and moved to second on a Tanner Smith sacrifice bunt. The Highlanders (19-34) tied the game at one with a run on an error in the bottom of the first.
Cole Pofek gave UC Riverside the lead with a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the fifth, making it 2-1. The Highlanders added an insurance run in the eighth inning with the help of an error on a failed pickoff attempt. Nathan Webb singled to lead off the inning, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt and scored on a Dean Miller single to make it 3-1.
The Ducks (27-27) made things interesting in the ninth, putting the tying run on base and bringing the go-ahead run to the plate with two outs. Gabe Matthews drew a walk before Jonny DeLuca singled to get runners on first and second, but Evan Williams struck out to end the game.
Ciuffetelli got his first career start and gave up just the one unearned run in the first inning while striking out one and surrendering three hits over three innings. Breault pitched two innings and allowed just a solo home run while fanning two and Chase worked two scoreless innings with three strikeouts to keep the Ducks in the game.
Box Score Notes: Novitske led the way offensively, going 3-for-4 with a run scored, double and a walk … It was the freshman's fourth three-hit game of the year and 19th multi-hit game … Novitske has reached base in 49 of the 54 games and has gotten on multiple times in 41 games … He has reached four times in a game three times … Steer's first-inning RBI tied him for both the school single-season and career records … He matched Ryon Healy (2013) for the single-season mark with his 56th RBI and Mitchell Tolman (2013-15) for the career mark with 128 … Steer has driven in a run in eight straight games, picking up 14 RBI in that stretch.
On Deck: The Ducks return home to close out the regular season against No. 1 UCLA beginning Thursday at 6 p.m.
How it Happened: Steer again came through to put the Ducks on the board with an RBI single in the top of the first. He singled home Novitske who led off the game with a walk and moved to second on a Tanner Smith sacrifice bunt. The Highlanders (19-34) tied the game at one with a run on an error in the bottom of the first.
Cole Pofek gave UC Riverside the lead with a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the fifth, making it 2-1. The Highlanders added an insurance run in the eighth inning with the help of an error on a failed pickoff attempt. Nathan Webb singled to lead off the inning, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt and scored on a Dean Miller single to make it 3-1.
The Ducks (27-27) made things interesting in the ninth, putting the tying run on base and bringing the go-ahead run to the plate with two outs. Gabe Matthews drew a walk before Jonny DeLuca singled to get runners on first and second, but Evan Williams struck out to end the game.
Ciuffetelli got his first career start and gave up just the one unearned run in the first inning while striking out one and surrendering three hits over three innings. Breault pitched two innings and allowed just a solo home run while fanning two and Chase worked two scoreless innings with three strikeouts to keep the Ducks in the game.
Box Score Notes: Novitske led the way offensively, going 3-for-4 with a run scored, double and a walk … It was the freshman's fourth three-hit game of the year and 19th multi-hit game … Novitske has reached base in 49 of the 54 games and has gotten on multiple times in 41 games … He has reached four times in a game three times … Steer's first-inning RBI tied him for both the school single-season and career records … He matched Ryon Healy (2013) for the single-season mark with his 56th RBI and Mitchell Tolman (2013-15) for the career mark with 128 … Steer has driven in a run in eight straight games, picking up 14 RBI in that stretch.
On Deck: The Ducks return home to close out the regular season against No. 1 UCLA beginning Thursday at 6 p.m.
