Bats and Bullpen Carry Ducks to Win at No. 19 Gonzaga

SPOKANE, Wash. – Oregon scored eight runs in the first four innings and held off a late surge from No. 19 Gonzaga to pick up 9-5 road victory on Tuesday.

The Ducks (14-6, 5-1 Pac-12) won their fourth straight game and sixth straight over the Bulldogs (14-5, 3-0 WCC).

Tanner Smith led the Ducks offensively, going 2-for-4 with 2 RBI, a double and a home run. Brennan Milone and Jacob Walsh both went 3-for-5 and Walsh added three RBI and a solo home run.

How it happened: The Ducks jumped out to an early lead, taking advantage of a Bulldog error to load the bases and score twice on a walk and groundout. The Zags countered in the bottom of the inning when a bases-loaded double that scored two to even the score.

Smith continued his hot hitting with a solo home run in the second inning and Anthony Hall extended the lead to 4-2 with a sacrifice fly in the third.

The Ducks broke the game open in the fourth inning, stringing hit after hit together to go up 8-2. Sam Novitske led off the inning with a single and – after a sacrifice bunt – the Ducks scored four runs on four straight hits.

Smith doubled to center field, scoring Novitske, before coming around on a single from Colby Shade. Milone stroked a double into right field, giving Walsh runners on second and third with one out. The freshman delivered with a single down the right-field line, scoring both runners to put the Ducks up six.

Oregon's bullpen made the lead stand up the rest of the way. The Ducks ran into some trouble in the bottom of the seventh, allowing two runs after multiple walks, but Matt Dallas entered the game and got a strikeout to keep Oregon in front.

Walsh provided insurance in the top of the ninth inning, blasting a solo home run over the right field wall. Gonzaga loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, but Kolby Somers got a lineout and a double play to finish off the win.

Box Score Notes: The Ducks have hit multiple home runs in five straight games for the first time in the modern era … Logan Mercado picked up his third win in the last four games … Milone had his fourth-straight multiple hit game, his ninth of the season and the 11th of his career … Smith had his third straight multiple-RBI game, running his career total to 18 … Hall had his fourth multi-RBI game of the season and the 14th of his career.

Up Next: Oregon returns to PK Park to take on USC. First pitch of Friday's game is set for 4:05 p.m.