Ducks overcome early mistakes for win
EUGENE — Robert Ahlstrom did not allow an earned run over six innings and Oregon scored multiple runs in three straight innings to rally for an 8-2 win over New Mexico State at PK Park in a nonconference game on Friday.
Oregon (14-6) uncharacteristically committed three early errors that led to two New Mexico State (10-12) runs in the first three innings, but Ahlstrom kept the Ducks in the game allowing just those two earned runs over six innings while allowing just three hits with six strikeouts.
How It Happened: NMSU took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the third inning, but the Ducks jumped on Aggie starter Chris Jefferson (4-2) for three runs to take the lead.
Gavin Grant started the rally by drawing a walk, before moving to second on a wild pitch and to third on a Tanner Smith infield single. Anthony Hall, who had a five-hit game in the Arizona series finale on Sunday, put the Ducks on the board with a double into the right-field corner that scored Grant and moved Smith to third.
Kenyon Yovan followed with a base hit to center field driving in both Smith and Hall for his team leading 22nd and 23rd RBI of the season.
The Ducks added to the lead in the fourth. Robby Ashford walked with one out and moved to second on a Josh Kasevich base hit. Grant put the Ducks drove them both in on a double into the right field corner with Kasevich scoring after being obstructed by New Mexico State shortstop Brandon Dieter for a 5-2 lead. Grant, who moved to third on the throw to the plate, scored on the next pitch on a Smith RBI ground out.
Gabe Matthews made it 8-2 in the fifth. The Ducks' first baseman blasted his second home run of the series, a two-run shot, over the right-center field wall to give Oregon a six-run lead.
Notable: Matthews hit his second home run in as many days, marking just the second time he hit homers in back-to-back games (April 13 & 15, 2018 at Washington) and the first time he has hit them in back-to-back days … He extended his reached base streak to 17 games … Ahlstrom, who lowered his ERA to 2.17, did not allow an earned run for the third time in five starts including a pair where he went six-or-more innings … Grant had his first career multiple-RBI game … Yovan had his eighth multi-RBI game of the season and his third in a row … He now has 16 multi-RBI games … Hall had his third-multi-hit game of the season, and his second in the last three games …
Record Watch: Matthews' home run was the 17th of his career, tying him for ninth all-time in school history with Dave Roberts (1970-72) … He made his 193rd career start to pass Aaron Payne (2011-14) of second on Oregon's career list.
On Deck: The Ducks and Aggies finish their four-game series with a doubleheader at PK Park with a 12:05 first pitch. Oregon will send Cullen Kafka (2-1, 2.73) and Brett Walker (3-1, 4.21) to the mound looking for the sweep.