No. 11 Oregon won the rivalry-loaded Eugene regional by crushing Yale 14-2 in the opener, blanking Washington State 4-0 on Saturday and then taking down Oregon State 4-1 on Sunday.
While the longball carried the Ducks during the regular season, the regional was won with pitching, defense and a patient approach at the plate.
This was evident during the three-run seventh inning to put away the Beavers that saw Oregon score on two bases-loaded walks and a fielder’s choice.
The Ducks next head to Austin to take on No. 6 Texas.
UCLA joins Vanderbilt last year as the only top seeds in tournament history to fail to at least reach their regional final.
This was a what-if collapse that saw the Bruins cough up leads in their two losses to Saint Mary’s, undercutting the team’s late-game heroics during the regular season.
The projected top pick in this year’s MLB draft, shortstop Roch Cholowsky, went 2 for 12 in the regional with two strikeouts, one walk, one RBI and two runs scored.
It is a disappointing end for an outstanding season that included a 52-8 record and Big Ten titles in the regular season and tournament.
Tech seemed ready to sail into super regionals after beating Illinois-Chicago 22-5 and Oklahoma 9-3 to reach the regional final.
Then the wheels came off: Oklahoma pounded out 18 hits in a 15-8 win to force Monday’s elimination game and then broke the Jackets’ hearts with an epic comeback from a 7-2 hole.
