For the first time since 2012, Oregon is headed to an NCAA super regional.
Drew Cowley had four RBIs and Rikuu Nishida went 3 for 5 with a bases-clearing double to send the Ducks to a 11-2 win over Xavier in the Nashville Regional final Sunday night at Hawkins Field.
Oregon (40-20) advances to face Oral Roberts (49-11) in a super regional next weekend.
Freshman Grayson Grinsell struck out a season-high seven over 4.0 scoreless innings, his longest outing of the season, while allowing just three hits and two walks. Ian Umlandt was credited with the win for working a perfect fifth and Logan Mercado picked up a save while allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits and a hit batter over 4.0 innings for the Ducks.
Sabin Ceballos broke a scoreless tie after 3 with a long solo home run to left center in the fourth.
Oregon added three more in the fifth as Nishida stole second and an errant throw allowed Bennett Thompson to score, a balk plated Bryce Boettcher and Cowley doubled in Nishida to make it 4-0.
Jared Cushing hit an RBI double to left to get Xavier (39-25) on the board in the top of the sixth.
Nishida hit a three-run double and Cowley added a three-run homer in the bottom of the frame to break the game open and ensure a sixth Oregon win over Xavier this season.
Matt McCormick hit a solo home run to left in the top of the eighth for the Musketeers and Ceballos hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning.
XU’s Luke Bell allowed four runs on two hits and three walks and struck out five over 3.2 innings and Clay Schwaner was tagged for five runs on two hits, two walks and a hit batter in 1.0 inning.
The Oregonian/OregonLive will update this story.
