Oregon Ducks Baseball Completes Sweep of St. John’s, 6-0

The Oregon Ducks completed their weekend home stand against the St. John’s Red Storm in historic fashion with a shutout today, 6-0.

Oregon bats exploded over the weekend and this series produced 58 runs to St. Johns’ 9.

Ducks pitching was led today by starter Tommy Brandenburg, who pitched a masterful five shutout innings and only allowed one hit. Relief pitchers Caleb Sloan, Rio Britton, Matt Dallas, and closer Kolby Somers all held up their end in keeping today’s shutout intact.

A quiet 1.5 innings found Oregon leaving one runner on base while Brandenburg ensured that none of the Red Storm made it to base. Josh Kasevich opened up the bottom of the second with a single and then promptly stole second base. After St. John’s opening pitcher, Vincent Bianchi, walked Ducks batter Colby Shade, Josiah Cromwick muscled a 3-run homer to left field - and the shutout was on.

The third inning was a quiet affair with both pitchers shutting down the respective offenses. Brandenburg continued the fourth in 1-2-3 fashion, but in the bottom Shade and Gavin Grant made it to base before pitcher Bianchi was replaced by Joe Joe Rodriguez, who shut the Oregon offense down, leaving two on base.

The fifth inning saw St. John’s connect on a hit by Chuck Sanzio before Jarmaine White hit a line drive to second, bringing the first of three Duck double plays on the day. In the bottom, Rodriguez ran into some trouble in giving up a couple of singles to Oregon, before Kasevich sent a two-run single to left field, and the Ducks were up 5-0.

In the 6th, Caleb Sloan stepped in for Brandenburg on the mound and he walked a couple of batters, but his work in the inning ended with another Oregon double play. In the bottom, Rodriguez found his footing again, clearing out the Duck batters 1-2-3.

Rio Britton went to the mound in the seventh inning; and although he walked a batter, he K’d the other three convincingly. In the bottom, the Ducks picked up their 6th and final run off a Jacob Walsh homer. The only pitching intrigue for Oregon was when Sloan allowed a couple of hits in the 9th, but he struck out the last two batters to seal the shutout.

Oregon may not have produced the eye-boggling runs that they did over the weekend, but the bats were there behind some very solid pitching today.

The Oregon Ducks continue their home stand this coming weekend with a 4-game series against UC Santa Barbara, March 4-6.