Thanks to more late heroics from its bats and another dominant starting pitching performance, the Oregon baseball team handed regional host No. 14 Santa Barbara its first home loss of the season and advanced to play in the regional final with a 2-1 win over the Gauchos Saturday.
Sophom*ore Grayson Grinsell had a career outing on the bump, pitching seven innings while allowing just three hits and no runs with nine strikeouts. Saturday’s outing was the longest of his career in Eugene.
While Grinsell dominated, the Ducks struggled at the plate, failing to get multiple runners across home plate despite getting baserunners in scoring position.
The Ducks finally broke through in the seventh, with Carter Garate coming up huge once again. After Justin Cassella hit a one-out single and advanced into scoring position by stealing second, Garate knocked in his fourth run of the weekend on a single to put a run on the board.
Garate’s has knocked in four of Oregon’s seven total runs over two wins this weekend so far.
The Ducks added some insurance in the eighth after Chase Meggers led the inning off with a double and Drew Smith grounded out to first to score Jack Brooks – running for Meggers – from third later in the inning.
Other than Garate’s hit, Oregon was 0 for 11 with runners on base.
Oregon reliever Ryan Featherston ran into trouble in the ninth, hitting the first batter he faced and then allowing a double to put the tying run at second. A walk two at-bats later loaded the bases with one out. Featherston struck out the next batter to get the Gauchos to their final out but hit the next batter to make it 2-1.
In the what turned out to be the final at-bat of the game, the ball was hit straight to Garate, who stepped on the bag for the force out to secure the win.
The win means the Ducks will advance to play either Santa Barbara or San Diego again in the regional final at 6 p.m. Sunday, just a win away from a second-straight Super Regional berth. If the Ducks lose, they would play again on Monday in an advance-or-go-home game.
FINAL: Oregon 2, No. 14 Santa Barbara 1
Behind a Grayson Grinsell gem, the Ducks are one win away from their second-straight Super Regional berth and will play in the regional final against Santa Barbara or San Diego Sunday at 6 p.m.
The Gauchos loaded the bases with just one out in the ninth but only got one run across from a hit batter.
End of the 8th inning: Oregon 2, Santa Barbara 0
The Ducks added some insurance in the eighth and are three outs away from a regional final. Chase Meggers led off the bottom of the eighth with a double, and was replaced by pinch runner Jack Brooks. After advancing to third, Drew Smith knocked Brooks in to double Oregon's lead.
End of the 7th inning: Oregon 1, Santa Barbara 0
Though Oregon threatened as Carter Garate reached third, he was caught in a rundown and ruled to have veered to far off the basepath, allowing Santa Barbara to escape the inning without further damage.
A run! Ducks strike first in seventh inning
After a one-out base knock from Justin Cassella and subsequent steal of second, Carter Garate knocked Cassella in with an RBI single, his fourth of the weekend. Garate has knocked in four of Oregon's six total runs this weekend as the Ducks look to spring the upset.
End of the 6th inning: Oregon 0, Santa Barbara 0
Though Santa Barbara again threatened with a runner at third, Grayson Grinsell threw the lead runner out attempting to steal home and got out of the threat unscathed. The Ducks offense managed just a hit, but Anson Aroz was tagged out trying to advance to second for the double.
Grinsell is at 100 pitches and will take the mound to start the seventh for the Ducks.
End of the 5th inning: Oregon 0, Santa Barbara 0
The Gauchos got a runner all the way to third, but Grayson Grinsell again escaped the inning without allowing a run, while Oregon got just one runner to first before going down without scoring. Grinsell has five strikeouts in five innings pitched so far and the Ducks are batting 0 for 3 with runners in scoring position.
End of the 4th inning: Oregon 0, Santa Barbara 0
It's a pitcher's duel in Southern California between Oregon and Santa Barbara after four innings. Though Oregon advanced a runner all the way to third and the Gauchos managed to get a runner to second, neither could manage a run.
End of the 3rd inning: Oregon 0, Santa Barbara 0
Oregon managed a two-out single to get a runner on base in Chase Meggers, but couldn't muster any offense outside of that while pitcher Grayson Grinsell continues to dominate with four strikeouts.
End of the 2nd inning: Oregon 0, Santa Barbara 0
The second inning was much less eventful for both teams as Oregon's Grayson Grinsell and Santa Barbara's Tyler Bremner have settled in. Neither allowed a baserunner in the second inning.
End of the 1st inning: Oregon 0, Santa Barbara 0
Both squads got two on base in their respective half innings, but couldn't push any runs across. Oregon pitcher Grayson Grinsell has two strikeouts already for the Ducks.
Oregon starting lineup vs. Santa Barbara
- 1) Mason Neville RF
- 2) Chase Meggers C
- 3) Jacob Walsh 1B
- 4) Drew Smith 2B
- 5) Anson Aroz LF
- 6) Maddox Molony SS
- 7) Justin Cassella DH
- 8) Carter Garate 3B
- 9) Bryce Boettcher CF
- LHP Grayson Grinsell (6-2, 4.21 ERA)
Santa Barbara starting lineup vs. Oregon
- 1) Ivan Brethowr RF
- 2) Zander Darby 3B
- 3) Jessada Brown LF
- 4) Aaron Parker C
- 5) Nick Oakley 2B
- 6) Jonah Sebring CF
- 7) Justin Trimble 1B
- 8) Jonathan Mendez SS
- 9) Reiss Calvin DH
- RHP Tyler Bremner (11-0, 2.63 ERA)
Who are the announcers for Oregon baseball's regional game against Santa Barbara?
- Broadcast team:Mark Neely and Greg Swindell
How to watch Oregon baseball vs. Santa Barbara in Saturday regional matchup
First pitch isset for 7 p.m. Saturday in Santa Barbara.
The game will can be streamed on ESPN+.
Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football, volleyball, women’s basketball and baseball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him atadietz@registerguard.comand you can follow him on X@AlecDietz.
