Tucked behind the right field wall of Oregon baseball’s PK Park and beneath the metal awning of the Sargent Player Development Area stands the Karcher Korner Bullpen.

It’s hidden in plain sight. The outfield fence, covered with a protective padding, stands about five feet tall, low enough to see the top of a pitcher’s head, but just high enough to hide their jersey number while they warm up.

The high fence, the poles that support the awning and several signs camouflage Karcher Korner, creating a guessing game for those trying to sneak a peak at who could be the next to toe the slab for the Ducks.

Two relievers, left-hander Santiago Garcia and right-handed closer Cole Stokes, were seen warming up in Karcher Korner on Friday, April 18, but the right field gate never swung open for one of the two to make the 100-or-so yard trot and take over on the mound. Nor did Oregon baseball head coach Mark Wasikowski or pitching coach Blake Hawksworth poke their heads out of the home dugout for a “this could be it” mound visit.

They didn’t need to.

Because while Garcia and Stokes stretched out their arms and loosened up to make an appearance in the game, Ducks starter Grayson Grinsell battled for nine-straight innings, tossing the first complete game of his collegiate career as No. 16 Oregon beat No. 10 UCLA 2-1 in Friday night’s series opener.

The junior left-hander allowed just two hits and one walk, with a solo home run by UCLA’s Roch Cholowsky in the top of the seventh representing Grinsell’s lone earned run.

The six-strikeout effort from Grinsell was not only the first complete game by a Duck since Kevin Seitter did so last June, but Oregon’s first regular-season win over a top-10 opponent since beating Stanford during the 2023 season.

“It means everything (to me),” Grinsell said. “As a starting pitcher, it’s what you want. You want to go out there and throw all nine… Today was my lucky day.”

Wasikowski wouldn’t tip his hand as to what would’ve had to happen for Grinsell to be be lifted from the game, but the southpaw didn’t give his head coach much need to consider it, retiring the final nine batters he faced in order.

“Well, we don’t have to worry about that, do we?” Wasikowski said when asked how long Grinsell’s leash was while cracking a smile.

Junior designated hitter Dominic Hellman accounted for both of Oregon’s runs in the win. Hellman roped an RBI-single that scored second baseman Ryan Cooney in the second and bashed his 10th home run of the season in the sixth inning.

Hellman and outfielder Drew Smith notched two-hit days each, while Cooney reached safely twice (1-for-2, 1 BB) and swiped a pair of bags.

No. 16 Oregon and No. 10 UCLA’s three-game series rolls on following Grinsell’s gem of an opener. Right-hander Collin Clarke (2-2, 4.25 ERA) is slated to start game two for the Ducks, facing UCLA righty Michael Barnett (7-0, 4.42 ERA).

First pitch of game two is slated for 2:05 p.m. on Saturday, April 19 at PK Park in Eugene.