Charles Fischer

OREGON ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2026 BASEBALL | @OregonBaseball Laya Sets Record As Ducks Win Rubber Match Angel Laya's two homers Sunday broke the UO record for a freshman and helped the Ducks win a top-25 series over Nebraska. EUGENE, Ore. — A record-breaking day from a freshman kept Oregon in the game early, and a shutdown bullpen sealed it for the Ducks late. Angel Laya homered twice to break the UO single-season record by a freshman, and the Oregon bullpen threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings as the No. 21 Ducks won the rubber match of a series with No. 19 Nebraska on Sunday at PK Park, 5-4. Laya hit a two-run shot that gave the Ducks (26-10, 10-5 Big Ten) an early lead in the second, tying teammate Maddox Molony’s two-year-old record for homers by a UO freshman with 10. Laya broke the record with a solo shot that sparked a three-run rally in the sixth, bringing Oregon back from a 4-2 deficit. “It feels good,” Laya said. “(But) it wasn't a goal of mine at all; I came into the season just trying to help the team win and make it to Omaha.” Wins like Sunday’s can help fuel those aspirations. The Ducks won the rubber match against a conference rival and fellow top-25 team, bouncing back from defeat to build some momentum before a match-up with rival Oregon State on Tuesday and then a weekend road trip to Illinois. “It definitely feels good — pops us up going into this midweek and for the next weekend,” said Tanner Bradley (3-0), who got seven outs in middle relief to start the shutout effort by the UO bullpen. “But we also like to keep it flat-line, not get too high, not get too low.” Miles Gosztola took the ball from Bradley and pitched a scoreless seventh inning, keeping his cool despite tempers flaring after a hard slide at second by the Huskers on one of Oregon’s season-high three double plays. Devin Bell then earned his ninth save of the season by getting the last six outs. “Just amazing — awesome,” Bell said of the overall relief effort. “I mean, I want to say I think we do have the best bullpen in the country when we free ourselves up. … We just keep going forward, I think we'll keep getting better.” How It Happened: After Nebraska took a 1-0 lead on a solo homer in the first, Laya gave Oregon a 2-1 lead in the second by following Drew Smith’s leadoff double with the homer to tie Molony’s UO freshman record. The first four Huskers in the third all reached, a three-run inning that put them back in front 4-2. Bradley came on in relief of Cal Scolari to get the last out of the fourth, and he threw two more scoreless innings to keep it 4-2 until Oregon’s bats got going again. That happened in the sixth, sparked by Laya’s record-setting solo shot with one out. Molony followed with a single and Burke-Lee Mabeus doubled him in to tie the score, 4-4. Two batters later, Jack Brooks singled and Oregon had the lead. Gosztola walked the leadoff batter in the seventh but then coaxed a double-play ball. A hard slide into second caused a brief confrontation between UO second baseman Ryan Cooney and the baserunner, but cooler heads prevailed and Gosztola finished off a scoreless inning after allowing a two-out single. Laya was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the seventh, after launching a deep drive to left that curled outside the foul pole. Bell then came in and pitched around a two-out single in the eighth and a one-out double in the ninth, slamming the door on the Huskers to end a game in which tensions were high due to the pregame implications and the seventh-inning confrontation. “I think as a team, when we free ourselves up, we play our best,” Bell said. “Just putting those extra stressors on us just doesn't really help you. So when we free ourselves up, we play our best.” Up Next: The Ducks face Oregon State at Hops Stadium in Hillsboro on Tuesday (6 p.m., KOIN.com).

I agree; they are not an overrated Big-10 team...they deserve their ranking and more. They will be tough to overcome the rest of the season!

Josiah Molden is a Rivals 4-Star, and besides Oregon was offered by Ohio State, Washington, (Ha!) USC, Notre Dame, Miami and Texas. He is 6'0" and 175 pounds, and could play the "Star" position at Oregon, of which is our fifth defensive back--the Nickel position.

Ducks win 5-4! Whoa...Devin Bell surprised the batters with an inside curve/drop-ball, and although he gave up a bloop-double...got it done for his ninth save. Win goes to Tanner Bradley!

5-4 Ducks after eight innings. Devin Bell came in and retired the side with a 94 mph fastball, and nasty slider. Oregon strands two on base!

5-4 Ducks after seven innings. Miles Gosztola came in for relief, and retired the side--but not without some drama. In a sweet double-play...the Nebraska second baseman slid hard into second base, and Oregon second baseman Ryan Cooney got the throw off, but did not like the hit on his legs and said so. Both guys got chest-to-chest blustering banal utterings to each other, and the umpires broke it up and gave both teams warnings.

5-4 Ducks after six innings, as Tanner Bradley was awesome again in this inning. Angel Laya gave us another solo home-run that hits on top of the roof of the practice facility! Maddox Molony gets a solid base-knock to shallow CF, and then Burke-Lee Mabeus hits opposite field to zing one down the 3rd baseline and into the corner against the shift, and scores Molony from first base. RS Freshman Naulivou Lauaki Jr. hits to the shortstop, who throws home to stop Mabeus...and meanwhile Lauaki has moved to second base...and later to third on a wild pitch. Jack Brooks gets his first hit of the series--again opposite the shift to LF, and scores Lauaki.

4-2 Nebraska after five innings. Tanner Bradley took out three of four batters... On offense?

4-2 Nebraska after four innings. Scolari was replaced by Tanner Bradley, as the pitch count was climbing... Gotta hand it to our foe, as they hit and pitch well, and thus why they are ranked.

4-2 Nebraska after three innings. Cal Scolari gave up three hits, walks...etc. Not pitching to the hyped level we heard about, at least today thus far. Ducks strand two on bases...

2-1 Ducks after two innings. Cal Scolari got it done this inning, and the offense began to move to help him. Drew Smith nailed a pitch to the LF corner for a leadoff double to begin, and then Angel Laya crushes a pitch with a perfect swing to put it over the RF wall for a two-run homer! Oregon was robbed of another two-run homer by a stupendous play by the Cornhusker center-fielder as he leaped high an over the wall to snag the HR away from Burke-Lee Mabeus.

1-0 Nebraska after one inning. Cal Scolari gave up a solo HR, and nothing on offense. Oregon's Cal Scolari (2.82 ERA) vs. Cooper Katskee (2.79 ERA) and we really need the pitching to hold-up today...

Nebraska wins 10-8 after Luke Morgan kept them scoreless in the 9th. Maddox Molony hit a line drive for a hit, and Burke-Lee Mabeus nailed a pitch to the wall to score Molony...but that was it.

10-7 Nebraska after eight innings. Toby Twist was doing fine...until he gave up a two-run homer. Luke Morgan came in to finish the side... On offense...nothing when we needed it.

8-7 Nebraska after seven innings. Toby Twist came in to relieve for Oregon, and kept them scoreless for the inning. RS freshman Naulivou Lauaki Jr. continues to amaze with another solo homer over CF!