Indiana baseball’s most reliable relief arm, Gavin Seebold, cracked first Friday, as Oregon scored two runs off the graduate right hander in the Hoosiers’ 3-2 loss to the Ducks. However, on Saturday, it was Indiana’s most reliable starter who faltered.
After entering the game with a 1.96 ERA through his first 18.1 innings of the season, graduate left-hander Tony Neubeck ran into trouble against an Oregon lineup that continued to show its early-season offensive strength. The Ducks capitalized quickly, scoring five runs in the first four innings on their way to a 5-1 win over the Hoosiers at PK Park in Eugene, Oregon.
With the victory, Oregon secured the series win and improved to 2-0 against Indiana heading into Sunday’s finale.
In Saturday’s contest, the Ducks struck first in the second inning when senior third baseman Drew Smith launched a solo home run to center field to give Oregon a 1-0 lead.
Indiana answered immediately in the third. Sophomore outfielder Cole Decker delivered a milestone moment, launching his first career home run to right field to tie the game at 1-1.
But Oregon’s offense continued to apply pressure.
Junior second baseman Ryan Cooney followed with a solo home run in the bottom of the third to restore Oregon’s lead, and the Ducks added three more runs in the fourth inning to break the game open.
After a leadoff walk, Oregon freshman right fielder Angel Laya delivered the decisive swing with a two-run home run to right field. The Ducks added another run later in the inning following a double from catcher Burke-Lee Mabeus and an RBI single from Cooney.
The four-inning stretch marked Neubeck’s toughest outing of the season. The left-hander allowed five runs on seven hits across four innings while striking out five batters.
Despite the early damage, Indiana’s pitching stabilized for the remainder of the game.
Freshman right-hander Ivan Mastalski delivered two scoreless innings in relief, allowing just one hit while striking out two. Freshman Kellen English and sophomore Pete Haas combined to escape a bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning before finishing the game without allowing another run.
Indiana’s bullpen ultimately held Oregon to just one hit over the final five innings, keeping the Hoosiers within striking distance.
However, Oregon’s pitching proved overwhelming yet again.
A theme that has fueled Oregon’s early-season success surfaced again Saturday as the Ducks received a dominant outing from junior right-hander Collin Clarke, who pitched seven innings while allowing just two hits and one run with six strikeouts.
With the win, Oregon continued its strong start to the season, showcasing the offensive firepower and elite starting pitching behind its 16-3 record, as Indiana falls to 7-11 overall and 1-4 in the Big Ten.
Indiana and Oregon conclude the series 3:30 p.m. EDT Sunday, with sophomore left-hand pitcher Brayton Thomas projected to start.
Follow reporters Elakai Anela (@elakai_anela and eanela@iu.edu) and Will Kwiatkowski (@WKwiatkowski_15 and wdkwiatk@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana baseball season.
