Live updates: Oregon opens Pac-12 Tournament play vs. Cal

The postseason is officially here for the Oregon Ducks’ baseball program.

Oregon (33-20, 16-14 Pac-12) begins Pac-12 Tournament play in Scottsdale, Ariz., this evening with a 7 p.m. PT showdown with the Cal Golden Bears (24-26, 12-18).

The Ducks will look to get back on track after a 3-7 regular season showing in the month of May that dinged their postseason resume.

Freshman left-hander Grayson Grinsell will make his first career start for the Ducks this evening. In 24 appearances this spring, he is 1-1 with a 3.78 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 33 1/3 innings.

Follow along for live updates throughout the evening.

Final: Oregon 3, Cal 2

Ninth inning

T9

Oregon closer Josh Mollerus came on in the ninth inning and surrendered a leadoff single to Carson Crawford.

But he buckled down after that and produced a 4-6-3 double play to end the game.

Eighth inning

B8

Oregon cleanup man Sabin Ceballos hit a leadoff single and Bryce Boetcher came on to pinch run for him. Boetcher then advanced to third when Tanner Smith hit a laser to right field and Cal’s Kade Kretzschmar was unable to make the leaping catch.

With runners on second and third, Drew Smith hit a sharp grounder to shortstop Carson Crawford, who failed the field the ball cleanly. That allowed Tanner Smith to score from third and tied the game at 2-2.

Jacob Walsh followed with a deep sacrifice fly to center to plate Tanner Smith and give Oregon a 3-2 lead.

T8

Mercado stayed on for the Ducks in the eighth inning and retired the side in order on just eight pitches.

Seventh inning

B7

Oregon’s 2-3-4 hitters were retired in order.

T7

Oregon center fielder Colby Shade made an incredible leaping catch at the wall to steal a hit from Caleb Lomavita and save a run.

After Shade’s big play, the Ducks turned to right-hander Logan Mercado out of the bullpen with two outs. The junior struck out Cal No. 3 hitter Rodney Green to end the inning and hold the Golden Bears’ lead at 2-1.

Sixth inning

B6

Oregon put two runners on after Jacob Walsh ripped a two-out single and Bennett Thompson followed by drawing a walk.

But Gavin Grant struck out to end the inning.

T6

Matt Dallas came on to replace Anderson and retired the Golden Bears in order.

Fifth inning

B5

For the third straight inning, Oregon put multiple runners in scoring position before grounding into an inning-ending double play. After Rikku Nishida, Colby Shade, and Drew Cowley all reached with one out, Cal got Sabin Ceballos to ground into a 6-4-3 inning-ender.

T5

Austin Anderson replaced McShane to start the fifth inning and immediately ran into trouble. He hit Cal leadoff man Max Handron with his first pitch of the evening and then gave up a single to Lomavita.

But he retired Cal’s 3-4-5 hitters in order to end the threat and hold the Golden Bears’ lead at 2-1.

Fourth inning

B4

Tanner Smith drilled a leadoff single and Drew Smith followed with a perfectly-executed hit-and-run to give the Ducks runners in the corners with nobody out.

But Jacob Walsh struck out looking and Bennett Thompson grounded into a double play to end the inning.

T4

Dylan McShane replaced Grinsell to start the fourth inning.

Grinsell’s final line was: 4 hits, 2 earned runs, 1 walk, and 2 strikeouts in 3.0 innings of work.

McShane produced a stellar inning after entering the game. The right-hander retired the Golden Bears in order and struck out a pair.

Third inning

B3

Oregon’s 2-3-4 hitters were retired in order. The Ducks’ cleanup man, Sabin Ceballos, struck out swinging with the count full to end the frame.

T3

Cal No. 3 hitter Rodney Green smashed a leadoff double and then stole third base. But Grinsell buckled down and produced three straight outs to escape the jam without surrending a run.

Second inning

B2

Cal’s starting pitcher, Christian Becerra, was forced to leave the game due to injury with nobody out in the inning. Andres Galan came on to replace him.

The second batter Galan faced, Bennett Thompson, lifted a sac fly to cut Cal’s lead to 2-1. But after that, the Golden Bears’ reliever buckled down and got two quick outs to end the inning and strand a pair of Oregon runners.

T1

Dom Souto ripped a run-scoring single through the left side to push Cal’s lead to 2-0.

First inning

B1

Drew Cowley cracked a two-out single but was stranded at second base.

T1

Grayson Grinsell’s first pitching of the evening was crushed for a triple by Max Handron. The next batter, Caleb Lomavita, lifted a sac-fly to make it 1-0.

Pregame

Oregon starting lineup

1. Rikuu Nishida RF
2. Colby Shade CF
3. Drew Cowley SS
4. Sabin Ceballos 3B
5. Tanner Smith LF
6. Drew Smith DH
7. Jacob Walsh 1B
8. Bennett Thompson C
9. Gavin Grant 2B

LHP Grayson Grinsell