Baseball Recap: Peterson, Susnara Lead The Way, #22 Ducks Bag #7 Wildcats 8-4

TUCSON, Arizona— David Peterson won his eighth straight game, while Oregon’s offense, led by catcher Tim Susnara’s first four-hit game of the season, pounded out 16 total hits as the #22 ranked Ducks handed the #7 Arizona Wildcats their first home loss of 2017 by the score of 8-4 Thursday evening at Hi Corbett Field.

The junior left hander didn’t have his commanding stuff Thursday, but he didn’t need to, as the offense picked up the slack with it’s performance. The junior catcher Susnara got the ball rolling with a single to score freshman DH Matthew Dyer in the second, freshman second baseman Morgan McCullough ripped a two-run triple, and it was Game On in the desert.

Arizona would cut Oregon’s lead to 3-2 in the third, and it would stay that way until the seventh, when freshman first baseman Gabe Matthews smashed a triple of his own to score freshman third baseman Spencer Steer to increase the Ducks’ lead to 4-2.

Peterson’s night was done after six, but Oregon’s bullpen was a bit shaky, as senior righty relievers Cooper Stiles and Connor Zwetsch gave Arizona (24-9, 7-6) a bit of life, as the two gave up two runs on five hits in their inning-and-a-third to allow the Wildcats to cut the Ducks’ lead to 6-4. But right handed freshman closer Kenyon Yovan entered the game with one out in the eighth, and promptly slammed the door in Arizona’s face, pitching a scoreless inning-and-two-thirds to pick up his twelfth save of the season for Oregon (23-8, 6-4). The Ducks would tack on two insurance runs in their half of the ninth courtesy of a two-run double by redshirt junior left fielder A.J. Balta to make the final score 8-4.

Starter Randy Labaut (1-2) took the loss for the ‘Cats, going five-and-a-third innings while giving up three runs on nine hits, striking out four and walking two.

The two teams continue their three game series Friday evening, with first pitch of game two from Hi Corbett Field scheduled for 7:00 pm.

Game notes: For the game, Peterson pitched six innings, allowing two unearned runs on five hits while striking out five and walking one... his eight victories leads the PAC-12 Conference, as do his 82 strikeouts... McCullough’s triple was his fourth of the season, putting him in a three-way tie for first in the conference.