Bats Come Alive in 21-11 Victory

SAN DIEGO – Oregon scored a school-record 12 runs in the top of the eighth inning to lock up its first win of the season, a 21-11 triumph at San Diego.

The inning saw 16 batters come to the plate and extended the game long enough that it ended due to a curfew so the Ducks could make their flight home.

How it happened: San Diego opened the scoring in the second inning, going up 1-0 on a single to right field. The Ducks answered in the top of the fourth when Colby Shade drove in Jacob Walsh with a sacrifice fly.

Oregon struck again in the top of the fifth. Trailing 4-1 after two USD runs in the bottom of the fourth, Drew Cowley hit his first home run of the season. The two-run bomb scored Tanner Smith and pulled the Ducks within a run. Brennan Milone followed the home run with a double before scoring on a Josh Kasevich single to tie the game at four.  

The Toreros answered with a four-run frame in the bottom of the fifth. San Diego sent 10 men to the plate in the inning and Stone Churby prevented further damage by getting a strikeout to leave the bases loaded.

Oregon and San Diego traded two-run innings in the sixth. The Ducks scored on a fielder's choice and a double from Cowley before the Toreros countered with a double and sac fly in their half of the inning.

Kasevich pulled the Ducks back within a pair in the top of the seventh with a two-run moonshot to left field. Oregon loaded the bases after the home run and cut the deficit to one when San Diego walked in a run, but they were unable to tie it up or take the lead.

After the Toreros eked a run across in the bottom of the seventh, the Ducks blew the game open in the top of the eighth. With the bases loaded, Shade blooped a single in to cut the USD lead down to one and set the stage for Cromwick. The sophomore delivered with a grand slam to give Oregon a 14-11 lead.

The Ducks continued to pour it on, getting an RBI single from Smith, a sac fly from Milone, a two-run home run from Jacob Walsh, doubles from Hall and Shade and an RBI single from Cromwick to go up 21-11. Milone's sacrifice fly was the only out of the eighth inning until the 14th batter of the frame flew out to center field. Five San Diego pitchers toed the rubber in the eighth.

Box Score Notes: The last time Oregon scored 20 runs in a game was April 12, 2019 at Washington State (21) … The Ducks' previous school record for runs in an inning (11) came in the sixth inning of the same game … Oregon last had at least 20 hits in a game on May 15, 2021 at Utah (23) … Oregon's last grand slam before Cromwick's came May 5, 2021 when Tanner Smith hit one at UC Santa Barbara … It was the first home run of Cromwick's career … Six Ducks had multiple hits and seven scored at least two runs … Cromwick's five RBIs led the team and five players had at least two.

Up Next: Oregon returns to PK Park for the home opener on Friday, Feb. 25. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.