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Ducks drop close loss to ASU, setting stage for pivotal Sunday finale

Jarrid Denneyby: Jarrid Denney05/15/22jarrid_denney

Oregon will have to wait until Sunday afternoon if it hopes to clinch this weekend’s series.

The Ducks had a chance to lock up a series win over Arizona State on the road Saturday but fell 6-4 to the Sun Devils at Phoneix Municipal Stadium following Friday’s blowout win.

After falling behind early, Oregon rallied back in the middle innings before surrendering the lead again. The Ducks put runners in scoring position in both the eighth and ninth innings, but could not capitalize.

“The difference in the game was they got the big hit when they needed it and we didn’t,” Oregon coach Mark Wasikowski said. “(Sunday) is gonna be a big game for us; this is a big series for us.”

With the loss, the Ducks dropped to 30-21 in the season and 14-12 in Pac-12 play. They sit in fifth place, one game ahead of the Sun Devils (25-26, 13-13) and one game behind fourth-place Arizona, which lost to first-place Oregon State on Saturday. Second-place Stanford and third-place UCLA both captured wins on Saturday.

The Sun Devils ambushed Oregon starter Isaac Ayon in the first when Ryan Campos and Conor Davis each drove home runs, and Joe Lampe followed in the second with a solo homer to make it 3-0 early.

The Ducks answered back in the fourth, though. Brennan Milone launched a two-out, two-run homer to cap off a four-run inning that ended with Oregon holding a 4-3 lead.

But the Oregon bats went quiet from that point, and ASU chased Ayon in the bottom of the sixth with a three-run inning that swung the momentum of the game for good. Will Rogers’ run-scoring single late in the inning gave the game its final score.

In the eighth, Jacob Walsh stepped up with two outs and runners on first and second, but flew out to end the threat. In the ninth, Tanner Smith singled and then stole second, giving No. 3 hitter Brennan Milone to the plate as the potential tying run.

But ASU closer Brock Peery got Milone to pop out and end the game.

The Ducks will hope to close out the series with a win on Sunday, with first pitch scheduled for noon PT.

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