Game 2 of the NCAA Regional in Norwich Connecticut featured the Oregon Ducks (38-22) facing off against the UConn Huskies (47-14). Oregon sent Zack Thornton to the mound as he was 9-0 with a 3.54 ERA while UConn countered with Greg Nappo.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the second inning when Mike Nemeth led off the inning with a homer down the right field line to give the Huskies the 1-0. The Huskies would add another run in the third inning when John Andreoli would get a one out single. He would move to second when Pierre LePage was hit by a pitch. Nick Ahmed hit a routine double play ball to the second baseman who would toss to KC Serna who would step on the bag but make a bad throw to first allowing Andreoli to score and Ahmed to reach second. The Ducks would work around another hit by pitch to Springer before striking out Nemeth fro the final out of the inning.
The game would remain 2-0 until the sixth inning when Jett Hurt would get a leadoff walk. Zack Thorton would follow with a homer over the left field fence to tie the game up at 2.
Both starters would continue to keep the hitters off balance on the hill. Thornton ended up going six innings allowing eight hits and two runs (one earned). Nappo went 7.2 innings while allowing four hits and two runs as both of them got no-decisions.
The game would remain 2-2 until the ninth inning when the Ducks would get a lead off walk to Drew Pulfer. Jack Marder would follow with a sacrifice bunt which was thrown to second base but could not get Pulfer out. Next batter Eddie Rodrgiguez would also bunt moving the runners up and the play went to third where they could not get the runner again to load up the bases with no outs. After a Shawn Petterson lineout for the first out, JJ Altobelli hit a ground ball to second base in which LePage threw to first for the second out but Pulfer would score from third on the play and runners would move up a base. Steve Packard would then get a pinch hit infield single to bring home a run. Oregon would take on another run on a Andrew Mendenhall ground ball that would eat up Olt at third to give Oregon the 5-2 lead.
UConn would rally in the bottom of the ninth for one run and bring up the tying run in George Springer but he would strike out swinging to end the game and give the Ducks the 5-3 win.
Oregon will play FSU on Saturday night at 6:30pm and UConn will play Central Connecticut State at 2pm.
