Moore Masterful as Oregon State Regains Pac-12 Baseball Lead over Oregon, 9-0

Note: I'm feeling like crap, I'll add quotes in later tonight after I go raid the medicine cabinet

The Ducks not only lost the game Saturday against the #6 Oregon State Beavers, they lost left fielder Brett Thomas for an undetermined period of time

After playing in last night's 3-0 victory, Thomas did not start or play in today's tilt and coach George Horton called him "doubtful" for tomorrow's game.

His absence proved costly as Oregon State broke it open with five runs in the eighth inning to even the series and regain the Pac-12 conference lead.

Oregon State starter Andrew Moore – a freshman from North Eugene High School – cruised through the duration of his against an Oregon offense that appeared helpless against his array of pitches.

Moore did not allow a hit until first baseman Ryon Healy's double in the fourth inning, and had only thrown 70 pitches through seven innings en route to a complete game shutout in his first game back in Eugene since choosing the Beavers over Horton's Ducks last year.

The Ducks only threats came in the fourth and seventh, but were quickly extinguished by Moore, who only appeared to get stronger as the game went on. Indeed, his first strike out of the game didn't come until the bottom of the eighth inning.

For his part, Oregon freshman Cole Irvin lived up to his billing as one of the top freshmen in the Pac-12, throwing seven strong innings while battling a fever that he said made it hard for him to get out of bed.

His only blemishes came off the bats of Conforto and Barnes, and as he gave way to Darell Hunter to start the eighth, the Ducks still had a fighting chance.

Then it all went wrong, as Christian Jones relieved Hunter down 3-0, and proceeded to give up four runs (two of them Hunter's responsibility), including a hit batter and a wild pitch that scored a run.

With the series now tied at a game apiece, tomorrow's Civil War features a litany of story lines. Not only will it determine the winner of this year's Civil War series, but the winner will have a leg up on the other going into the final week of the regular season.

Jake Reed takes the mound for Oregon against Ben Wetzler at noon tomorrow. The game can be seen on the Pac-12 Network.