Oregon Baseball vs. Ohio State Recap: Ducks Sweep Doubleheader From Buckeyes

From University of Oregon Media Servies

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Freshman Mitchell Tolman had five hits and four RBI in a doubleheader to lead No. 6 Oregon to a sweep of Ohio State on Saturday. The Ducks won game one 3-1 in 11 innings before winning game two 4-0.

Tolman was 5-for-8 in the two games, going 2-for-4 with two RBI in the opener and 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI in the nightcap. The freshman ran his RBI total to 18 in Oregon's last seven games.

Oregon (39-11) got great pitching in the two wins over Ohio State (33-17). Five pitchers combined to hold the Buckeyes to just one run in 20 innings. Cole Irvin threw nine shutout innings in the second game, while Tommy Thorpe went 6.2 in the opener allowing just one run on seven hits while tying a career high with seven strikeouts.

The Ducks will look for a sweep of the three-game series Sunday at 9:05 a.m. (PT)

Game 1: No. 6 Oregon 3, Ohio State 1 (11)
Tolman delivered a two-RBI single to center field scoring Brett Tomas and Aaron Payne to give the Ducks a 3-1 win over the Buckeyes in 11 innings in the first game of a doubleheader.

Garrett Cleavinger (7-0) picked up his fifth win in Oregon's last eight games. Jimmie Sherfy left the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th to claim his 17th save.

Oregon took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning. The Ducks put runners on first and third when Payne reached on a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt after Thomas singled. Ryon Healy bounced into a double play, but Thomas scored to put UO on the board.

Ohio State tied it with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Kirby Pellant started the two-out rally with a double to left center and advanced to third when center fielder Connor Hofmann bobbled the ball at the wall. After a walk, Jacob Bosiokovic drove in Pellant with a hit to left to make it 1-1.

Thomas opened the decisive Ducks' inning in the 11th with a single. He moved to third when Payne reached on another throwing error on a sacrifice bunt, but this time Payne was able to advance to second. After an intentional walk to Healy, Tolman singled to center driving in the go-ahead runs.

Thomas went 2-for-5 with two runs scored in the game. Ryan Hambright was 2-for-5 as well.

Game 2: No. 6 Oregon 4, Ohio State 0
Irvin allowed just six hits and struck out seven while throwing his third complete game of the season to lead the Ducks to a sweep with a 4-0 win. The shutout was the second of the freshman's career.

Tolman delivered a pair of RBI singles to lead the Ducks. He put Oregon on top with a single in the first scoring Payne from second. The freshman added a RBI single in the third knocking in Thomas to give the Ducks a 3-0 lead. Thomas had made it 2-0 earlier in the inning when he drove in J.J. Altobelli who tripled to lead off the inning.

Healy drove in UO's final run with a loop double down the left field line that allowed Altobelli to score in the fifth inning.

In addition to Tolman's three hits, Thomas went 2-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored. Altobelli was 1-for-3 with two runs scored.