Seattle University did not enjoy many scoring opportunities, and the Redhawks could not take advantage of the chances they did create, as the Oregon Ducks took the lead midway through the game and added insurance runs late for a 4-0 victory Wednesday night at Ron Tonkin Field.
After the start of the game was delayed 18 minutes due to rain, Landon Cray (Chimacum, Wash.) hit the first pitch of the contest into left-center field for a single. That would turn out to be the only hit the Redhawks earned all night, as four Oregon pitchers combined for the shutout.
Freshman Nick Meservey (Scottsdale, Ariz.) showed some nervousness in his first collegiate start, walking Oregon leadoff batter Matt Eureste in the bottom of the first inning and then committing a balk. Eureste advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, but Meservey struck out the next two Duck hitters to end the scoring threat.
In the fifth inning, Tim Susnara led off with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, and reached third base when a fly ball hit to shallow left field by Scott Heineman was lost in the lights by the Redhawk defense. Eureste laid down a bunt that was fielded by Meservey, but Susnara beat the throw home, putting the Ducks on the board.
With two outs in the top of the sixth inning, Brian Olson (Black Diamond, Wash.) reached base on an error, followed by back-to-back walks drawn by Grant Newton (Bend, Ore.) and Brock Carpenter (Milton, Wash.) to load the bases. However, Oregon reliever Brac Warren induced a flyout to retire the Redhawks without any runs scoring.
Kyle Doyle (Covington, Wash.) pitched two solid innings of relief, but he started the eighth inning by hitting Eureste and walking Phil Craig-St. Louis and Mitchell Tolman to load the bases. Janson Junk (Federal Way, Wash.) came on in relief and struck out the first batter he saw, but Brandon Cuddy drove in Eureste with a sacrifice fly to center field that also advanced the other two runners, who scored on a double to left field by Mark Karaviotis.
Meservey pitched well but took the loss, allowing three hits, three walks, and one run in five innings of work while striking out eight batters. Jacob Corn earned the victory for the Ducks, giving up one hit and five walks in the first 5 2/3 innings as Oregon’s starter.
Seattle University (12-15, 5-1 WAC) returns home to open a three-game conference series against WAC preseason favorite Sacramento State Thursday, April 2, at 5 p.m., followed by games Friday, April 3, at 5 p.m., and Saturday, April 4, at 12 noon.