Down 7-5 heading into the bottom of the ninth, Marcelino Morales (Pasco, Wash.) doubled to right field and scored on a single to right field by Michael Tevlin (Billings, Mont.). With two outs, Cullen Hendrickson (Auburn, Wash.) singled to right field, advancing Tevlin to third base. Bryndon Ecklund (Elma, Wash.) sent a ground ball towards Duck second baseman Aaron Payne, but his throw was not handled by Shawn Peterson, allowing Tevlin to score the game-tying run. Oregon reliever Alex Keudell earned a strikeout to end the threat and force extra innings.
Despite pouring rain, the tenth inning was allowed to begin. Seattle U pitcher Bryan Dalton (Vancouver, Wash.) retired the first two batters before back-to-back singles and a walk loaded the bases with two outs. At that time, the umpiring crew came together, discussed the deteriorating field situation, and informed both coaches that they were stopping the game.
Oregon (24-23-1) continued the hit parade it started Tuesday night, as Peterson led off the second inning with a single, and Kyle Garlick followed with a two-run home run to left-center field, his third extra-base hit of the series. KC Serna doubled down the left field line, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a single by Paul Eshleman.
J.J. Altobelli sent a line drive into left-center field for a double, advancing Eshleman to third base. A groundout by Danny Pulfer brought in Eshleman, and Brett Thomas would reach on a Redhawk error, moving Altobelli to third base. As Thomas was caught in a rundown attempting to steal second base, Altobelli came in and scored the fifth run of the inning.
Seattle University answered right back in the bottom of the second, thanks in part to walks drawn by Josh Kalalau (University Place, Wash.) and Sean Narby (Auburn, Wash.). Josh Kutz (Seattle, Wash.) sent a single up the middle that scored Kalalau, followed by a similar single by Hendrickson that drove in Narby. Back-to-back walks drawn by Trent Oleszczuk (Beaverton, Ore.) and Nick Latta (Tacoma, Wash.) forced in another run to cut the Redhawk deficit to 5-3 and end the day for Oregon starter Porter Clayton.
In the bottom of the third, Kalalau reached on an infield single, and pinch hitter Riley Tompkins (Lynnwood, Wash.) was hit by a pitch. After a sacrifice bunt advanced both runners, Hendrickson laced a double to left-center field, driving in both Kalalau and Tompkins to tie the game at 5-5.
The Ducks retook the lead quickly, as Eshleman hit a one-out home run to left field in the top of the fourth inning. After a two-out single by Pulfer, Seattle U starter Seafth Howe (Seattle, Wash.) was lifted after giving up seven hits, one walk, and six runs, five of them earned, in 3 2/3 innings of work.
Conor Spink (Eagle River, Alaska) kept the score the same until the ninth inning, when Altobelli and Pulfer led off with back-to-back singles and Aaron Jones was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Peterson sent a single into right field that scored Altobelli, but Pulfer was thrown out at the plate by Kalalau, keeping the Redhawks within two. Dalton came on and retired Garlick on a flyout on the first pitch he threw.
After giving up the two runs in the third inning, Scott McGough settled down, pitching into the sixth inning before being relieved by Brando Tessar, who pitched 2/3rds of an inning before putting two runners on base in the seventh. Kellen Moen, Oregon's normal closer, came on in the seventh, snuffed out the Redhawk scoring threat, and pitched into the ninth inning before giving up the game-tying runs.
Hendrickson finished the day 3-for-5 with three runs batted in, while Kalalau went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Pulfer and Peterson each went 3-for-5 for Oregon, with Eshleman and Altobelli going 2-for-4 with two runs scored apiece, plus Eshleman drove in two runs.
Seattle University (18-25-1) is scheduled to begin a three-game series against the Pacific Tigers Friday, May 13, at Bannerwood Park starting at 12 noon. The series will continue Saturday, May 14, at 7 p.m. and conclude Sunday, May 15, at 12 noon, with the Senior Day ceremony taking place before the first pitch of Sunday's contest. Live stats and live audio for all three games will be available on GoSeattleU.com.