No. 5 Oregon baseball’s (39-13, 20-8 Big Ten) seven-inning, run-rule win over Iowa (32-18, 21-7) on Thursday, May 15, couldn’t have come at a better time for the Ducks.

Heading into Thursday’s contest, the Ducks’ path to a regular-season Big Ten Conference title was a simple one: Sweep Iowa and hope UCLA drops a game.

The four-part endeavor for  head coach Mark Wasikowski’s Oregon squad is now halfway complete. The Ducks thumped the Hawkeyes for a 10-0 win in Iowa City, needing just seven innings to trigger the run rule. At Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles, Northwestern (25-25) endured a late comeback attempt by No. 14 UCLA (37-15), hanging on for a 9-4 win.

Oregon’s left-handed starter Grayson Grinsell (9-2) earned a seven-inning complete-game win, allowing just two hits and one walk while punching out eight of the Iowa lineup.

The junior has been nails over his last five starts — UCLA, Oregon State, Michigan State, Washington and Iowa — pitching a total of 38 innings and striking out 37 batters with just four runs allowed. Over the five-game stretch, Grinsell owns a 0.95 ERA and has been relieved just twice (Oregon State, Washington).

Four home runs and some serious wind pushed the Ducks offense to the early end. Sophomore shortstop Maddox Molony accounted for two, while his double play partner, second baseman Ryan Cooney, bashed another. Carter Garate’s second homer of the season was a grand one, crushing the first pitch he saw for the slam and driving in himself, Cooney, catcher Burke-Lee Mabeus and left fielder Anson Aroz.

A double from right fielder Drew Smith was the Ducks’ only other extra-base hit, while first baseman Jacob Walsh and designated hitter Dominic Hellman each had two singles.

While the Ducks dismantled the Hawkeyes, Iowa’s pitching staff had Mason Neville’s number. College baseball’s home run leader couldn’t get his 27th in Thursday’s game, going 0-for-5 with four strikeouts.

The win by Oregon — as well as Northwestern’s — gives the Ducks control of their own destiny for the Big Ten’s regular-season title and top seed in the conference tournament. Oregon will have to complete the sweep of Iowa, who remains in the driver’s seat for the conference title.

First pitch of game two is slated for 4:02 p.m. on Friday, May 16 in Iowa City.