Oregon becomes first team to be eliminated from the Pac-12 tournament
This was definitely not how the Oregon baseball team envisioned their trip to Scottsdale, Ariz. going.
The Ducks got the unfortunate distinction of being the first team to be eliminated from the Pac-12 baseball tournament as they lost to Arizona State 4-2. Now Oregon will have to await its NCAA tournament fate when the teams are announced on Monday.
At 35-23 overall and a strong strength of schedule, Oregon has a high RPI and it will definitely be included in the tournament. But the Ducks were hoping for a strong showing in the conference tournament in order to host a regional.
That’s not happening now.
The Sun Devils used five pitchers to hold the Ducks to just two runs and six hits while striking out nine.
A lack of offense is quite surprising as the Ducks led the conference in runs scored. Coupled with a hitter-friendly Scottsdale Stadium, one would think giving up four runs would be enough to win.
Isaac Ayon turned in another good performance after he threw a complete game the last time he was on the mound. But today, Ayon made one mistake, a hanging curveball that Kai Murphy crushed over the right field wall to give ASU a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning.
The Sun Devils added a huge insurance run in the bottom of the eighth, but as it turned out, they didn’t need it. Closer Brock Peery threw a perfect ninth inning to earn his 10th save.
Oregon will now come back to Eugene, erase what happened down in the desert, and focus on the NCAA tournament for a chance at redemption.
