Ahlstrom’s Dominance Lifts Oregon Past Gonzaga to Advance to Regional Final

Ducks starter Robert Ahlstrom was lights out and the offense stayed hot.

Author:
Dylan Reubenking
Publish date:
Jun 6, 2021 3:24 AM EDT

Eugene native Robert Ahlstrom had himself a postseason debut Saturday night. The Oregon ace carried his ball club with eight strong innings as the top-seeded Ducks beat the No. 2 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs 7-3.

With the victory, the Ducks are one win away from their first Super Regional appearance since 2013. Ahlstrom, a North Eugene High School product, grew up picturing himself playing in games just like these when he was younger.

“I always pictured myself pitching in this kind of environment, especially just watching those games from the stands,” Ahlstrom said. following the win over the Zags. “I’ve believed that I could do this for a while, so getting the opportunity to actually go do it and get a win to send us to the finals of this regional…it was awesome.”

The Ducks' offense picked up right where it left off yesterday against Central Connecticut State, pumping out four runs in the first inning off of Zags' starter William Kempner. Tanner Smith started it with a leadoff double to conclude a 10-pitch at-bat, and Gabe Matthews kicked off the scoring with an RBI single to bring Smith home. Josh Kasevich scored Aaron Zavala on a groundout to make it 2-0.

With two outs, Matthews scored on an Anthony Hall double to right center, and Sam Novitske singled to plate Hall. Before Ahlstrom stepped onto the mound, the Ducks held a solid 4-0 lead and chased Kempner from the game.

The Bulldogs put two runners in scoring position with one out in the bottom of the first, but Ahlstrom got out of the inning thanks to a brilliant diving catch by Kasevich on a screaming liner that would have scored at least one run had it squeaked past the Ducks’ shortstop.

Ahlstrom ran into more trouble in the third as the Bulldogs loaded the bases with nobody out. A run scored on a sac fly, and two more scored on a single from Gonzaga first baseman Andrew Orzel. The Ducks' ace escaped the inning, clinging to a 4-3 lead.

Bulldogs’ reliever Trystan Vrieling appeared to be headed toward a 1-2-3 fourth inning as he forced the first two men he faced to ground out. He walked Kenyon Yovan on four pitches, which proved to be a brutal blow for Gonzaga.

Zavala knocked a double to deep right center that was inches away from being a two-run homer, scoring Yovan and extending the lead to 5-3. The next at-bat, Matthews crushed a no-doubter to right center, giving the Ducks another four-run lead at 7-3.

“I put my best swing on the ball,” Matthews said. “I was looking for a fastball left over the heart of the plate, and to put a good swing on it, and luckily that’s what I got, and I did that.”

Through the fourth inning of tonight’s game, the Ducks had scored multiple runs in seven of their 12 innings played in the NCAA Tournament.

Ahlstrom entered the fourth inning in another gear, throwing beautiful breaking balls and upping the velocity on his fastball. He struck out the side and let out a scream as he marched toward the dugout.

Ahlstrom shut down the Zags offense after the three-run third inning. Their last threat came in the fifth inning, loading up the bases with one out before grounding into a double play to end the inning and preserve the 7-3 lead.

Time after time, Ahlstrom escaped jams to keep the Zags from inching closer.

“That’s the funnest part about pitching, is when you are in that jam and you’re able to get out of it, and you get that huge momentum swing,” Ahlstrom said.

His head coach has been impressed at his skill all season long.

“It’s pretty amazing,” head coach Mark Wasikowski said of Ahlstrom’s ability to consistently get out of difficult spots. “The guy is just an ultimate competitor. He’s just a warrior.”

He retired the next nine of the final ten batters he faced and finished with a season-high eight innings pitched. He allowed seven hits, three runs, one walk, and struck out six batters before handing the ball off to standout closer Kolby Somers.

Somers looked shaky at first, walking the first batter he faced on four pitches. Then the Ducks turned a 4-6-3 double play, and Somers clinched the victory with a strikeout.

Oregon advances to the Eugene Regional final and will play the winner of tomorrow’s Gonzaga-LSU elimination game.

“It’s awesome,” Matthews said of being one win away from winning the regional. “It really set in after turning that double play in the ninth. It’s just like ‘holy smokes. We’re here.’”

“Just real solid championship-level play by the ball club today,” Wasikowski said. “We didn’t play nervous today like we did yesterday, which is really a good sign for the team.”

First pitch of the elimination game is at 3 p.m., and the championship game gets underway at 7 p.m.

With a win tomorrow, the Ducks will move on to the Super Regional as the Eugene Regional champion to face the winner of the Knoxville Regional. If the Ducks lose, they will play a decisive Game 7 Monday night at 7 p.m.

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