Ducks can’t finish sweep of No. 2 Stanford

STANFORD, Calif. — Stanford took advantage of some early walks to build a lead and this time Oregon couldn't overcome the early deficit in a 10-6 loss in the series finale at Sunken Diamond on Sunday. The Ducks still claimed the series after winning the first two games.
 
How It Happened: Oregon (10-6, 2-1 Pac-12) helped the Cardinal get out to the early lead in the top of the first. Stanford catcher Kody Huff drove in a run with a bases loaded sacrifice fly after Ducks starter Tommy Brandenburg sandwiched a pair of walks around a Gavin Grant error to start the inning.
 
Oregon tied it in the top of the second. Josiah Cromwick led off the inning with a double into the left-field corner, moved to third on an Anthony Hall fly ball to deep right and scored on a Sam Novitske RBI ground out.
 
Stanford (9-5, 1-2 Pac-12) jumped back in front in the bottom of the second. Brandenburg retired two of the first three hitters he faced, before hitting a batter and issuing his second walk of the inning to load the bases. Brett Barrera made him pay the price blasting a two-out grand slam over the left field wall for a 5-1 lead.
 
Oregon got one back in the top of the third. Colby Shade singled with one out, moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a ground out. Freshman Jacob Hughes drove him in with a hard shot that caromed off the pitcher for a RBI single.
 
Stanford tacked on another run in the fourth off reliever Jacob Hughes. The Cardinal put runners on first and second with back-to-back walks, before getting a two-out RBI single from Huff to push the lead to four.
 
Stanford added two in the sixth, before Oregon got them back with one in the seventh and one in the eighth. Gavin Grant blasted a leadoff home run in the seventh, his third of the season to cut the lead to five.
 
Oregon looked to have a rally going in the top of the eighth after Sam Novitske drove in a run to get Oregon within four. But with runners on first and second and one out, Stanford got Grant to ground into an inning-ending double play.
 
After Stanford added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, Walsh blasted a two-run home run to get Oregon within four.
 
Series Notes: Oregon's series win was its first vs. Stanford since the 2015 season, and its first at Stanford since 2012 …
 
Up Next: Oregon opens the home portion of its Pac-12 schedule against Utah. All three games will be on one of the Pac-12 Networks.