Oregon’s pitching could not maintain its torrid start to the season in a loss to Texas Tech.
Turner Spoljaric allowed five runs on four hits and two walks over 1.1 innings, one of five Ducks pitchers to allow a run in an 11-7 loss to the No. xx Red Raiders Sunday at the Shriners Children’s Showdown at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Drew Smith went 4 for 6 with three RBIs and Carter Garate went 4 for 4 with an RBI for Oregon (2-1), which had 16 hits but stranded 13 runners.
Texas Tech (2-1) opened the second inning with two walks, two singles, a two-run double and sacrifice fly to end the day for Spoljaric, then Toby Twist allowed a three-run home run to make it 6-0.
The Ducks broke through in the fifth on a two-run single by Smith and back-to-back RBI singles by Jeffery Heard and Bennett Thompson (3 for 5) made it 6-4.
Damian Bravo’s RBI double got a run back for the Red Raiders in the bottom of the inning. Twist allowed two run on three hits and two walks and struck out six over 3.2 innings.
Smith hit an RBI single and an error allowed a second run to score to get Oregon within 7-6 in the sixth. Michael Freund gave up a solo home run and RBI single in the bottom of the frame as the Red Raiders open the lead back to three.
The teams traded RBI singles in the seventh and Bravo added an RBI double in the eighth. Oregon went 6 for 20 with runners in scoring position but left two runners on base in six of the final seven innings.
The Ducks return to Eugene for their home opener against Lafayette at 4 p.m. Friday at PK Park.
