Box Score

PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Oregon Ducks jumped out to an early lead before holding on for a 7-2 win over the Portland Pilots in a non-conference baseball game played on a sunny and warm Tuesday afternoon at Joe Etzel Field. The Pilots next conclude the regular season with a three-game West Coast Conference series at home this weekend against the Santa Clara Broncos. 

Tuesday was the rubber match for the season series between the Pilots (21-30) and Ducks (30-26-1), as both teams entered the game with two wins against each other this spring. Both of Portland’s wins over Oregon this year came at PK Park in Eugene. 

It looked bleak early on for the Pilots on Tuesday as the Ducks came out swinging in the first inning. By the time Portland had recorded the first out, Oregon had already scored five runs on a triple, two doubles, two singles and an error. The Pilots were fortunate to get out of the inning on a fly out and an unorthodox 6-2-5-4-3 double play. 

The Ducks would add another run in the top of the second inning to make it a 6-0 game. 

UP finally got the offense going in the bottom of the third inning when the Pilots loaded the bases with one out. Freshman DH Turner Gill then came through with a two-run single to center field that allowed Portland to cut the deficit to four runs. 

But in came Oregon reliever Scott McGough from the bullpen to end the threat with a fly out and a strike out. McGough (3-6) would carry on the momentum from there as he worked 5.2 scoreless innings in relief of starter Porter Clayton. McGough fanned eight, allowed just three hits and didn’t issue a walk. Brando Tessar would toss a scoreless ninth. 

UP starter Keeler Brynteson (0-1) threw 3.0 innings, allowing six runs, five earned, on seven hits and a walk. 

J.R. Bunda was effective out of the bullpen as he held the Ducks to just a run in 4.1 innings. The right-hander K’d three, walked one and yielded three hits. Matt McCallister didn’t allow a batter to reach base, while striking out one during the final inning and two-thirds. 

The Ducks’ seventh and final run came in the top of the sixth inning when Danny Pulfer followed a lead-off triple by J.J. Altobelli with a sacrifice fly. 

Gill and Brian Frattali each had two hits for the Pilots, who finished with seven as a team. Frattali registered his first career triple in the bottom of the sixth inning. 

Friday’s first pitch with the Broncos is set for 3 p.m. The scheduled starting time on both Saturday and Sunday is 1 p.m.