Oregon takes Game 1 of Eugene Super Regional in thrilling comeback fashion
Oregon won a thriller Friday night, downing Oral Roberts 9-8 to take a 1-0 advantage in the Super Regional round of the 2023 NCAA baseball tournament.
It was against all odds too. Things had gotten away from starting Ducks pitcher Grayson Grinsell after a strong start in the first and second. Oral Roberts proceeded to plate 8 runs in the top of the 3rd, leaping to an 8-0 lead. For a lot of teams, that would be all she wrote.
But Oregon crept back into things slowly but surely. Jacob Walsh started Oregon’s comeback bid with a solo homer to left field.
𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤@JGWalsh_ with a solo tater to lead off the bottom of the third. #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/iVXTIk2bUU
— Oregon Duck Baseball (@OregonBaseball) June 10, 2023
Bennett Thompson did the same the following at-bat.
𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫@tennettbhompson gets all of this one. #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/LGOV8iJI02
— Oregon Duck Baseball (@OregonBaseball) June 10, 2023
Thompson scored Oregon’s next runs of the game, too, sending a 3-run homer over the wall to cut the deficit to 3. Drew Cowley took it from there.
Cowley was responsible for 2 of Oregon’s final 4 runs, including a walk-off RBI Double. You won’t find a sports moment better than this Friday night:
𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞
Game winner. Drew Cowley. Stud. #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/rxythzEdhw
— Oregon Duck Baseball (@OregonBaseball) June 10, 2023
Incredibly, this is the first time a team has ever come back from such a deficit in the Super Regional round of the tournament. Prior teams were 0-96 heading into Friday.
Oregon can punch its ticket to Omaha Saturday against Oral Roberts. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. PT on ESPN.