OREGON ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2026 BASEBALL | @OregonBaseball Ducks Roll to Win in Series Opener vs. Northwestern EUGENE, Ore. — Will Sanford allowed just one hit over five innings while No. 21 Oregon’s offense had eight extra-base hits including four home runs in a dominant 20-6, 7-inning, win over Northwestern in Big Ten Conference action on Friday at PK Park. Sanford moved to 4-0 on the season after allowing just a second-inning solo home run while fanning eight over five innings of work. Dominic Hellman slugged two of Oregon’s four home runs, while Jack Brooks and Angel Laya each added one. Laya finished 3-for-3, adding a double and a career-high five RBI. Brooks went 2-for-3 with four RBI, also a career best. How It Happened: Oregon (18-3, 6-1 B1G) made an early statement sending 15 batters to the plate while putting 10 runs on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Drew Smith, the nation’s 10th leading hitter going into the game, delivered a one-out, RBI single scoring Ryan Cooney while putting runners at the corners. Laya followed with a hard-hit ball at the center fielder who misjudged the ball resulting in a run-scoring double. Maddox Molony picked up a pair of RBI scoring Smith and Laya with a base hit into left-center field for a 4-0 lead. Burke-Lee Mabeus reached on a hit-by-pitch putting runners at first and second, which led to a Gabe Miranda RBI single through the left side scoring Molony. Brooks made it 8-0 when he slugged his second career home run in his first start since the Purdue finale when he left the game after running into the outfield wall. Angel Laya The Ducks were not done scoring, loading the bases with two outs for Laya, who lined a single sharply into right center scoring two more runs. After Northwestern (7-10-1, 1-3 B1G) cut the lead with a solo home run in the top of the second, the Ducks answered with two homers and three runs in the bottom of the third. Helman belted a two-out solo shot 411 feet over the center-field wall, before Laya added two-more RBI with a homer to right field. Oregon tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning. After a Mabeus single and Miranda walk, Brooks added RBI number four on the day with a run-scoring double to left center scoring Mabeus. Cooney added a sacrifice fly scoring Miranda for a 15-1 lead. Hellman added home run No. 2 on the night to lead off the fifth, this one going over 425 feet. The Ducks then capped their scoring with a four-run inning in the sixth getting production from their bench. Freshman pinch hitter Naulivou Lauaki Jr. drove in a run with a bases-loaded ground out. Tyler Holley added a two-run double off the wall in right field before Josh Schleichardt drove in the final run with a single up the middle. Malosi Mata’afa-Alferos capped the inning with his first career hit. Box Score Notes: Cooney made his 100th career start, joining Smith and Molony in the 100-start club … Oregon’s 10-run first inning marked the first time the Ducks scored double-digit runs in an inning since putting 10 on the board in the first inning vs. San Francisco on March 29, 2022 … Hellman homered twice in a game for the third time in his career … Hellman moved into a tie for eighth in career home runs at Oregon with Anson Aroz (2022-25) and Kenyon Yovan (2017-21) … Laya was the last Duck to homer twice in a game (3/8/26). On Deck: The Ducks and Wildcats meet in game two of the series on Saturday at 2:05 p.m. (B1G+). Quotes: Head Coach Mark Wasikowski On takeaways from today... “Well, what can you take away? Take away a win. You can take away, you know, all the positives and all the things that you need to correct, and it’s another good day to be with the team. I mean, just being around the guys. You know, every single day, sometimes games are close, and sometimes it's like that. But the bottom line is, we were able to get some really talented people in the game and, you know, and get people experience. This is a young group that's got a lot of talent, and they need experience. And the way you can get experience is by playing in games and playing in games against somebody else, in front of people that have beer and hot dogs and popcorn and all that kind of stuff. It's just a lot different than it is when you come out here on a Tuesday, and you play a scrimmage, and you see that with each one of your players. And so, the biggest takeaway is the fact that we get a chance to be around each other again for another day. We win the ball game, that was the objective of the day. And those guys got experience, which is great.” On later pitch hitters and relievers... “Well, I mean, [Tyler] Holley and Malosi [Mata’afa-Alferos], those two kids worked their tail off, right? And both of them got hits today, their first hits in Duck uniforms, I think, which was awesome, you know? And they flat out are grinders, whether it's in the weight room or whether it's in the practice field. And so, everything that they are getting, they deserve. When the success happens, they deserve it. They're really good players. And so, it's, it's really happy. I'm really happy to see those guys succeed, because they succeed every day in our work.” Will Sanford On Will Sanford... “Yeah, I mean, we saw it coming. Last year in scrimmages, he was the most dominant guy we had as a freshman in scrimmages. And then he got out there in game, and he wasn't the same guy that we saw when nobody was here, you know. And then the band showed up, and it was different, a little bit for him. He's settling in now. He's still on Friday nights. He's been successful for us. You'll see the same thing with Hudson Carvalho and Cooper Markham and Shane Johnson, and all those freshmen. You're going to see the same type of thing as soon as they settle down. Those guys have tremendous ability, once they settle down, to do the same things we watched them do in every scrimmage that we play. I mean, once they do that, they're going to be lights out, you know. I mean, guys like Carvalho, are going five innings against our hitters, and giving up no runs. And today, you’d go, ‘Whoa, that doesn’t seem like that would be accurate based off what I see today,’ but it’s just an experienced thing. And they got to get out there and get comfortable.” No. 6 Jack Brooks On his first at bat... “Hitting is contagious. I mean, you see everyone else doing it. I mean, [Ryan] Cooney leads us off with a single up the middle, and then everyone else is just kind of teeing off. So, after that, you're pretty loose, going up there knowing you can't fail. Just got to keep doing your thing.” On contributions off the bench... “You see the work they put in day in and day out. I mean, they're coming to the field every day, fighting to play. I mean, they're fighting to get their time or their spot, and it's really special to see those guys getting hit stuff like that or just being on the field. Like seeing Malosi [Mata’afa-Alferos] go get his first hit today. I mean, that was amazing. Seeing [Tyler] Holley do the same exact thing. I love cheering those guys on, because, those guys are putting in the work, and they deserve it, and they deserve every, every moment of it.” No. 28 Will Sanford On freshman pitchers’ performances... “I just kind of relate it to myself last year, and I was in those shoes where it is hard to pitch at this level. And like, we have a really good freshman class, and like, all those guys dominated in high school, and that's why they're here. But it's more so just trying to get them in that mode. They dominated our hitters in the fall. Just because you're in a game now doesn't mean you need to change anything. And it's all a mental thing where it is hard to work at, and it took me a while to get to that, like, freeness, but it's something where a guy like Hudson [Carvalho], where he has all the talent like that, I'm just trying to help him mentally, where he can feel free on the mound.” On having a 10-run lead... “It does make it easier, but at the same time, it's hard to stay competitive in that state when you're up so much. But that's why I like to take it inning by inning. And you know, I'm trying to win innings. It's my job. So, the more innings I win, the more chance we have a winning so that's all I have to do mentally to keep myself going.”
2-0 Ducks after one inning. Collin Clarke has a cutter that along with the drop-curve tied up the Northwestern batters...1-2-3! The Wildcat pitcher is Garret Shearer, who had a 3.60 ERA coming into this game. After a couple of fly-outs, Dominic Hellman walked, and the Drew Smith blasted a pitch over the LF wall for a two-run homer!
Michigan (makes no miss) State, after Michigan takes down Saint Louie, Sparty takes care of Louis(ville) - Michigan State 77 - Louisville 69
Chris Hampton believes Trey McNutt will benefit from time away during injury-plagued freshman seasonChris Hampton believes Trey McNutt will benefit from time away during injury-plagued freshman season https://247sports.com/college/oregon/article/chris-hampton-believes-trey-mcnutt-will-benefit-from-time-away-during-injury-plagued-freshman-season-278488477/
About now, coach is probably reminding his team that the same guys they stomped by 14 runs beat USC just a few days ago.
Well, the Ducks best player was injured early on but will return next season. Elisa Mevius won an Olympic gold medal in 3 on 3 basketball.
"Amongst the best that the Big Ten Conference has to offer, the defensive back was named All-Big Ten Second Team." It seems to me that BIG Ten coaches are petty when it comes to all league voting! Oregon Ducks On SIBrandon Finney Jr. Entering Next Season With Something to...Oregon Ducks sophomore Brandon Finney Jr. is coming off one of the most spectacular first-year performances of any cornerback in the sport. Opposing quarterback
Safe to say Oregon had their bats going today😂
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Next game is playing Texas on their home court where they are 19-0 this season. I understand why the women's game requires this to get butts in seats, but doesn't mean I have to like it.
Well done ladies. Just one more win away from stealing the one seed.
The Foundation of Collegiate Rivalries The heart of Oregon’s athletic identity beats strongest on university campuses. For decades, the rivalry between the University of Oregon in Eugene and Oregon State University in Corvallis has defined the local sports environment. This competition, often referred to as the “Civil War” historically, represents more than just a game; it is a yearly gathering ... The Spirit of Oregon Sports: A Community Driven by Tradition and Passion
