EUGENE, Ore. --- With the score tied, the Oregon Ducks scored three runs on the bottom of the eighth inning to claim a 4-1 win over the Portland Pilots in a non-conference baseball game played on Tuesday night at PK Park. The Pilots did bring the potential game-tying run to the plate in the top of the ninth, but the Ducks escaped with the win.
 
Oregon (24-22) scored the game's first run in the third inning when Sam Novitske kept the frame going with a two-out double. Tanner Smith followed with an RBI single, and the Ducks had a 1-0 lead.
 
The Pilots (23-22) responded by tying the score with a tally in the third. Tracye Tammaro and Cody Hawken began the inning with back-to-back singles, and Travis Turney moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Dutton Elske then claimed the RBI when his ground out to short allowed Tammaro to score.
 
Neither team could do much offensively from there, as both pitching staffs were effective on the mound. Portland starter Eli Morse had just the one blemish in 3.2 innings, and Kevin Baker was solid out of the bullpen, pitching 2.1 flawless innings. Baker didn't allow anybody to reach base, and he struck out five.
 
The Ducks finally broke through in the eighth as a walk, bunt single, and an error gave them runners on second and third with only one out. A bloop single off the bat of Novitske would score both runners, and the Ducks added another run before the inning was done for a three-run cushion.
 
In the top of the ninth, Hawken doubled and Henry Cheney reached base with a walk, but Oregon's Nico Tellache ended the game and earned his sixth save of the year with a K.
 
Reliever Keaton Chase (4-1) pitched just one inning to pick up the win for the Ducks, while the loss goes to Portland's Christian Peters (2-3). Peters was responsible for all three Oregon runs in the eighth.
 
The Pilots remain on the road to face another Pac-12 opponent tomorrow when they travel to Seattle, Wash for a game with the Washington Huskies. First pitch on Wednesday night is set for 6:05 p.m. at Husky Ballpark.