Ducks hit, pitch way to game 1 win at ASU

PHOENIX, Ariz. — Oregon pounded out 14 hits and got a dominating pitching performance from three pitchers in an 11-3 win over Arizona State on Friday night in game one of a three-game Pac-12 series at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
 
Oregon scored three runs in each of the first two innings and scored in six of the first seven innings to build a big lead. It was more than the Ducks' pitching staff would need with Christian Ciuffetelli, RJ Gordon and Rio Britton combining to allow just one earned run.
 
How It Happened: The Ducks jumped out early scoring three in the first inning, thanks to four hits and a pair of Sun Devils error.
 
Tanner Smith led off the inning and moved to second on a fielding error on a Colby Shade chopper to the first baseman. Drew Cowley drove in Smith with a base hit to left-center field for a 1-0 lead.
 
Josh Kasevich followed Cowley's RBI with one of his own, scoring Shade from second. ASU catcher Ryan Campos let the ball get through to the backstop on the attempt to get Shade at the plate, allowing Cowley to move to third and Kasevich to second.
 
Oregon took advantage when Anthony Hall singled through the right side scoring Cowley, while Kasevich was thrown out at the plate trying to score.
 
ASU answered with one in its half of the inning, but Oregon came right back with three more runs in the second. Gavin Grant led off the second with a walk and moved to third on a Smith double to left-center field. After a strikeout and a walk loaded the bases, Cowley picked up RBI number-two of the game with a single scoring Grant. Kasevich made it 6-1 with a two-RBI single plating Brennan Milone who walked.
 
The Ducks added a run in the top of the third with a two-out rally. Smith started it with a single before stealing second. After Shade walked, Milone delivered a two-out RBI single scoring Smith for a 7-1 lead.
 
Oregon had a chance to blow it open in the fourth but left the bases loaded after scoring a run. Kasevich led off the inning with a walk, moved to second on a Sam Novitske single and to third on a Grant Walk before scoring on a Smith walk. Shade grounded out to end the inning.
 
After failing to score a run in the fifth, Anthony Hall made sure it was not two consecutive innings without a run. The Ducks' right fielder blasted his team-leading 12th home run of the season on the first pitch he saw while leading off the inning.
 
ASU (24-26, 12-13 Pac-12) cut the lead to 9-2 in the bottom of the sixth, but Oregon (30-20, 14-11 Pac-12) answered with a pair of seventh-inning runs. Shade singled to lead off the inning and stole second before Milone and Cowley both walked to load the bases. Kasevich hit into a double play, but Shade scored on the play. Hall finished the Ducks' scoring singling Milone home.
 
Box Score Notes: Five Ducks finished with multiple hits, led by three from Smith and Hall … Seven Ducks finished with hits with one other reaching three times on walks … Three Ducks drove in multiple runs, while three also scored multiple runs … Smith (3-for-5, RBI, 3 R, BB) had his 24th multi-hit game of the season and the 61st of his career (second all-time – 5 behind Game Matthews) … Smith moved into second all-time in hits, passing J.J. Altobelli with 212 hits … He ran his school record total to 148 runs scored … Smith recorded his 48th career double in the second inning, moving him into sole possession of second all-time at Oregon … Smith's three runs scored moves him into fourth all-time in a single season with 51 … Cowley (2-for-5, 2 RBI, R, BB) finished with his 15th multi-hit game season and his sixth multi-RBI game … Josh Kasevich (2-for-5, 3 RBI, R, BB) had his 16th multi-hit game of the season and the 40th of his career … Kasevich also had his ninth multi-RBI game of season, and the 26th of career to move into sole possession of sixth all-time at Oregon … Hall (3-for-5, HR, 3 RBI, R) finished with his 17th multi-hit game of season and the 32nd of his career, while tallying his 13th multi-RBI game of the year and the 24th of his career … His 12th home run of the season moved Hall into a tie for fifth in Oregon history, while his moving into a tie for eighth in career home runs with 19 … Novitske (2-fo-4) had his ninth multi-hit game of the season and the 41st of career … Gordon (6.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 BB) picked up his third win of the season, tossing a career-high 6.1 innings.
 
Up Next: The teams meet in game two of the series on Saturday at 6:05 p.m.