All Activity

Backups to our "undrafted free agent" DL stepping up. Oregon's Tony Tuioti offers encouraging updates on Matthew Johnson, Nasir Wyatt and other young D-Linemen

I guess this is a start. The leaders of the major conferences all seem to be supportive. We shall see.

Waiting for the Illini - UConn Tip Off - Some Coach Trivia - Michigan's Dusty May grew up in Terre Haute, Indiana. Dusty is a University of Indiana graduate. While at Indiana, he was a student manager for Bob Knight. Illinois basketball coach Brad Underwood paid a whole lot of dues before scoring a B1G gig. Brad was a JC coach before serving as an assistant coach at Western Illinois for ten seasons. Today, in Champaign, Brad can afford Dom Perignon Champagne instead of Ripple. Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd played his college CBB in Walla Walla. First at Walla Walla Community College before finishing at Walla Walla's Chapman College. Lloyd played pro ball Down Under and in Germany. Then, Lloyd coached for twenty years as an assistant with Oregon grad Mark Few's Gonzaga teams. UConn coach Dan Hurley played his college ball at Seton Hall, taking a backseat to his brother, Bobby, who was an All-American at Duke. But when it comes to coaching, Dan is way ahead of his brother with two National Championships at UConn, and is looking for his third. New Jersey native Hurley was an assistant coach at Rutgers before turning NJ high school St. Benedict's Prep into a high school power, and then taking the head coach jobs at Wagner College and Rhode Island. Dan is 17-3 in March Madness games. I'm hoping the UCLA women represent the West and win a title on Easter Sunday. This Monday, I hope we will see Michigan play Illinois for the whole enchilada. We need the B1G dues. 🤑 And I also hope that in 2027, we will see Dana back where he and OBD belong, on the March Madness dance floor.

Bear is out for Bear this year. Trained with NFL trainer this off season. Oregon Star Bear Alexander’s Offseason Move Turning Heads

ESPN's three impact freshmen. The Tank, Iheanacho and Jalen Lott. Oregon brings 3 instant-impact freshmen into 2026 season, per ESPN Oregon Ducks Freshman Anthony 'Tank' Jones Turning Heads

In the last decade, the PAC-12 conference de-emphasized basketball. The focus was on Olympic sports, softball and tennis. And who was the commissioner at this time?...Larry Scott. He ran the conference (into the ground) from 2009 through 2021. He was the chairman and CEO of the woman's tennis association. The university presidents made the wrong choice when they hired him. And now were paying the price.

Michigan wins 4-3 as Devin Bell gave up three hits and a plinked batter. The final hit scored two for the walk-off. Ducks had plenty of chances to win, as we ended up stranding 13 on base.

3-2 Ducks after eight innings. My stomach is churning as Oregon stranded two in scoring position again for a total of 12 runners stranded on base. We should have this game in hand, and yet could lose it. Luke Morgan kept our recent tradition of pitching to retire the side 1-2-3 continued!

Lets not forget that Air Jordan's put Nike on top of the athletic shoe market. Now I'm not saying Phill Knight here I'm saying Nike corp--Put the right shoes on the RIGHT PLAYERS(NIL) and IM sure the profits will come back. Nike isnt doing so good these days and they need a boost-this could be a good opportunity for the Ducks and them. Just sayin.

3-2 Ducks after seven innings. My gosh...Oregon strands two in scoring position again. Coming in to pitch is Luke Morgan, who has an ERA of 2.45 and he put the Wolverines down 1-2-3!

3-2 Ducks after six innings. We are stuck on offense, but Michael Meckna just put down Michigan 1-2-3...two innings in a row.

Northwestern fans were complaining last Saturday about the third game ending early so Oregon could make their flight connections home. "We should never have let the West Coast teams in....blah, blah." Softball standings as of Saturday morning: Washington Nebraska UCLA Oregon (USC doesn't offer softball) 2025 final standings: Oregon Nebraska UCLA If not for Pac12 legacy members, the B1G would largely be irrelevant in softball. And, the legacy B1G members probably hurt seeding for the 3 West Coast teams at the end of the regular season.

Adding a little historical perspective here. Oregon’s softball team was the regular season champion of the Big Ten in 2025.

3-2 Ducks after five innings. Nothing on offense, and Oregon brought Michael Meckna in for relief with a 4.20 ERA. He got beat-up in a recent game, but retired the side with three fly-balls easily this inning.

3-2 Ducks after four innings. Gabe Miranda hit to the RF corner for a double, and was moved to 3rd on a ground-out. Jax Gimenez walks, and then Dominic Hellman hits to the opposite field of the shift to RF shallow for a hit and scores Miranda. Ducks have bases-loaded....and blows it after that. I was surprised to see Cal Scolari return, but he got a 1-2-3 inning, and he has 88 pitches.

2-2 after three innings. Oregon's Cal Scolari had his day turn sour, as he lost control. An observation? The transfer from San Diego does not do well in the rain, as he performed poorly in another rainy game in Eugene in the recent past. In this inning today, he walked batters, plinked them, and gave up hits to tie the score.

National analysts are currently keeping a close eye on the Ducks as they navigate their first season in the Big Ten, and the narrative is centered on their "power-heavy" identity. Following the 10-1 dismantling of Iowa, here is what the national softball world is saying about Oregon: 1. The "Big Ten Bully" NarrativeNational outlets like D1Softball and Softball America are noting that Oregon’s speed and power are translating perfectly to their new conference. Analysts are highlighting that the Ducks aren't just winning games; they are utilizing the run-rule (like they did against Iowa) to make a statement. Being 8-2 in Big Ten play has them firmly in the conversation for a top-three conference finish. 2. Focus on the "Transfer Impact"The "national talk" heavily features Elon Butler (Cal transfer) and Amari Harper (Texas A&M transfer). Elon Butler: Analysts are calling her one of the most dangerous leadoff hitters in the country. Her "hitter’s mentality" and ability to capitalize on mistakes are being cited as the engine that makes the Oregon offense go. Amari Harper: Her multi-homer performance against Iowa caught national attention. She is being praised for her "SEC-level" power and her ability to anchor the lineup, making it nearly impossible for pitchers to find a "safe" spot in the Ducks' batting order. 3. Lyndsey Grein: The Milestone AceLyndsey Grein reaching 600 career strikeouts is a major national storyline. D1Softball specifically noted her efficiency (73 pitches for a complete game), framing her as a "Friday Night Ace" that can carry a team deep into the postseason. Her ability to shut down Big Ten offenses is cementing Oregon as a legitimate Top 20 mainstay. 4. Postseason ProjectionsCurrently ranked No. 18, analysts see Oregon as a lock for a Regional spot, with the potential to host if they continue to dominate Big Ten series. The consensus is that if the Ducks' pitching remains this consistent, their offense—which "pounded out six extra-base hits" in a single game—makes them a "nightmare matchup" for anyone in the NCAA Tournament.

EUGENE, Ore. — Elon Butler hit a leadoff home run and Amari Harper hit a pair of two-run home runs as No. 18 Oregon opened its series with Iowa with a 10-1 win in six innings Friday at Jane Sanders Stadium in front of a crowd of 2,064 that included some 30 dogs on the program's annual Bark in the Park night. Meet Elon Butler A decorated transfer from Cal, Butler arrived in Eugene with an All-American resume and hasn't missed a beat. Whether she’s sparking the offense with leadoff moonshots or driving in runs in the clutch, the San Jose native has quickly become a fan favorite at "The Jane." Her veteran presence and "hitter’s mentality" are a huge reason the Ducks are surging in Big Ten play. ' Amari Harper (#31) Senior | Utility | Corona, CA The Texas A&M transfer has been a revelation for the Ducks' lineup. Carrying a career batting average well over .300 from her time in the SEC, Harper has found a new gear in Eugene. After her two-homer performance against Iowa, she reached double-digit home runs for the first time in her career, proving to be one of the most dangerous bats in the conference. Now to the action from goducks "The energy is a big part of it," said Butler. "Our fans are great and I love playing here. This is a beautiful park, and I love everything about it. Being able to be at home and go through my routine, reset, and ground myself is helpful." Harper's home runs bookended an Oregon offense that pounded out nine hits – six of them for extra bases – to score three runs in the first, four in the fourth and three in the sixth. Harper's two-run shot in the first gave the Ducks (27-9, 8-2) a 3-0 lead. Her two-run blast in the sixth ended the game via the run rule. In the circle, Lyndsey Grein notched her 600th career strikeout and held the Hawkeyes (21-14, 5-8) to one run on two hits. She retired the side in order in every inning except the third and needed just 73 pitches to earn her 16th victory of the season. It was her fifth complete game in Big Ten play this season. "I thought Lyndsey did great," said coach Melyssa Lombardi. "She had five shutdown innings, and that is huge. I thought our defense was really good tonight as well. I thought she commanded the ball well. Just really understood her game plan." How It Happened: Hitting in the leadoff spot for the first time this season, Butler launched a 1-0 pitch into the centerfield bleachers. She became the first Duck to hit a leadoff home run since KK Humphreys in 2023. "I tried not to change anything," said Butler of hitting leadoff. "Coach Lombardi talked to me about it before and I was a little nervous but whatever I can do to help the team I'll do it. I tried to keep my same approach. "It's having a hitter's mentality every time you send me to the box," Butler said. "I'm not a person who gets a lot of strikes in the first place, so when I do see one, I have to capitalize, and I understand that as a hitter." After Butler's home run, Kaylynn Jones reached on an error and then Harper launched a 247-foot drive high into the centerfield bleachers for a 3-0 lead. Iowa scratched out a run in the third to make it 3-1. Oregon put a four-spot on the board in the bottom of the fourth to pull away from the Hawkeyes. Ayanna Shaw led off with a single and Taryn Ho followed with a base hit through the left side. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Rylee McCoy then drew a walk, but ball four was a wild pitch that allowed Shaw to score from third. After Regan Legg, who pinch-ran for McCoy, stole second, Emma Cox plated a couple of runs with a single up the middle for a 6-1 advantage. Jones picked up a two-out RBI double that made it 7-1. After Grein retired the side in order in the top of the sixth inning, Oregon brought the game to an early conclusion with a quick three runs. Katie Flannery led off with a double to the wall. Sophomore Elise Kresho, who entered the game in the top of the sixth as a defensive replacement for Butler, followed with her first career hit, a double to the gap in right center that scored Flannery. Leading 8-1 an out later, Harper drove a 1-2 pitch into the centerfield bleachers for the second time Friday night, as the Ducks wrapped up the game with a run-rule win. Notable: Harper's two-homer game was her second of the season. The other came March 13 versus Penn State … Harper's 10 home runs are a career high … Butler's home run was her team-best 11th of the season … Iowa could have had a bigger inning in the third, but the Ducks made the Hawkeyes pay for a baserunning mistake. On a single to short leftfield with runners on first and second, the runner from first didn't see the lead runner, Brianna Johnson, stop at third. As two Iowa runners retreated and then got into a run down, Oregon caught Johnson between third and home on a play that went Harper-to-Flannery-to-Ho-to-Jones-to-Cox (7-5-6-4-2) for the out. Quotable Head Coach Melyssa Lombardi on how the energy from today's Bark in the Park affected the team... "Yeah, I actually noticed that in the first inning, and I thought that was really cute. These guys love their dogs. They've been waiting for Bark in the Park. I know Kaylynn (Jones) had her dog Ace here. And when I think of dogs, I think of family and this group is just very united, and a good family. They love their dogs. So this is always a night that they enjoy every year." Outfielder Amari Harper "It's awesome. It helps us knowing we have both sides of the ball, defensively and offensively. We know we can back Lyndsey Grein up even when they're hitting harder balls. We're there for her, but we can also back her up offensively. It's awesome for us, especially coming off the road and being home with our fans and the energy they bring, so it was a good time. I look forward to carrying it into the weekend and seeing how it translates from today." Up Next: Oregon and Iowa play game two of their series Saturday at 4 p.m. (B1G+).

2-0 Ducks after two innings. Both Oregon and Michigan stranded two base runners, as both pitchers got into jams, and pitched out of them.

In the pregame interview Coach Waz spoke of today being about mental toughness, as they have rain, mist, and cold conditions today in Ann Arbor. Michigan puts up David Lally who throws 95 mph heat and has an ERA of 5.40 versus Oregon's Cal Scolari at 2.57 ERA. 2-0 Ducks after one inning. Finally....a great start, but due to Wolverine errors. Ryan Cooney gets a leadoff double by hitting the wall in the CF/RF gap, and Jax Gimenez takes the generous walk given. Dominic Hellman sac-grounds out, but moves the runners to scoring position. Angel Laya hits a chopper to their SS, and the routine throw to first is muffed-up, and thus scores both Cooney and Gimenez! Cal Scolari made it look easy this inning with 3-up, and 3-down!

A Bruin with a B1G Block - https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaw/2026/04/04/lauren-betts-block-delivers-ucla-to-first-ncaa-national-championship-game/89463849007/?utm_source=usatoday-sports-strada&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=usatbaseline&utm_t

Can't we all just get along? 🤬 Larry Brown SportsGeno Auriemma goes at Dawn Staley in heated postgame conf...Geno Auriemma and Dawn Staley exchanged words that weren't of the friendly variety Friday after UConn and South Carolina clashed in the Final Four.

What about team related injuries? hmmmmm

All I'll say is that'll be challenged in court real quick.

Los Angeles TimesUCLA knocks off Texas, reaches national championship gameUCLA held on for a gritty 51-44 win over Texas, reaching the NCAA tournament national title game for the first time in school history.