Drew Cowley hit two of Oregon’s four home runs on a night heavy on extra bases.
Cowley went 2 for 5 with five RBIs and Colby Shade and Jacob Walsh each also went yard for the No. 23 Ducks, who took the series opener with No. 17 Arizona State 11-5 Friday night at PK Park.
Jace Stoffal (6-2) allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits, two walks and a hit batter over 6.2 innings for Oregon (29-12, 12-7 Pac-12).
“He pitched well,” Oregon coach Mark Wasikowski said, “He probably didn’t have his best stuff today but he pitched well and was competitive. Another Friday night win, kind of ho-hum for Jace. He’s been doing a fantastic job and excited about his development, it’s great.”
Cowley hit a solo home run to left-center in the first.
Arizona State (28-14, 13-5) tied it in the top of the third on an RBI single by Luke Hill.
Shade gave Oregon the lead back with a moon shot to left.
Oregon broke it open with a seven-run fourth, with all of its runs coming with two outs. Josiah Cromwick started the rally with a drag bunt and Anson Aroz followed with an RBI single. Two batters later Rikuu Nishida hit a two-run double to center. Shade walked and Cowley hit a grand slam to make it 9-1.
“It’s definitely nice to give our pitching a little support with some runs,” Cowley said. “Helps them go out there and compete and it was nice to go out there and keep adding.”
The run support was necessary on a night when Stoffal didn’t have command of his breaking pitches, yet still managed to deliver a quality start against one of the top offenses in the country.
“As the Friday guy, even if you aren’t on, you got to grind it out for the team,” Stoffal said. “I wasn’t hitting my spots but it was working out. My defense made some great plays behind me and gave me a lead.”
ASU’s Nick Mclain destroyed a solo homer to right in the sixth, his first of two long balls on the day.
Shade hit a ground-rule double to score Nishida (3 for 5 with two RBIs).
Walsh homered in the seventh as every Ducks hitter reached base.
“When the success gets spread out it’s even more gratifying,” Wasikowski said.
The teams will play again at 3 p.m. Saturday.
