EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Bennett Thompson hit two home runs, Drew Cowley singled in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning and Oregon rallied from an eight-run deficit to beat Oral Roberts 9-8 on Friday night, snapping the Golden Eagles' 21-game win streak.
Oregon (41-20), which won the second regional title in program history last week, can punch its ticket to the College World Series with a win over Oral Roberts (49-12) on Saturday in the best-of-3 series. The Ducks have made only one previous CWS appearance — in 1954. They lost both games. The Golden Eagles have to win Saturday and Sunday to advance to their second CWS and first since 1978.
Matt Hogan hit a three-run home run in the third inning for Oral Roberts and Jake McMurray capped the eight-run inning with a three-run single. Oregon answered with home runs from Jacob Walsh and Thompson leading off the bottom of the inning.
Thompson hit a three-run homer in the fourth to pull the Ducks within 8-5. Drew Smith hit a solo shot in the sixth and Cowley and Tanner Smith added RBI singles in the seventh to tie it at 8.
No. 9 hitter Gavin Grant and Rikuu Nishida drew walks to lead off the ninth. A fielder's choice forced Grant out at third before Cowley delivered his game-winner, scoring Nishida.
Josh Mollerus (3-2) got the last four outs to earn the victory. Dalton Patten (4-2) took the loss.
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