Charles Fischer

Ducks Seal 11th Series Win with Sunday Victory EAST LANSING, Mich. — Jason Reitz pitched 6.1 innings of one-run baseball as No. 6 Oregon won its 11th series of the season, beating Michigan State, 3-1, on Sunday at McLane Stadium. Reitz was dynamic, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out four. After giving up a hit to the Spartans' leadoff hitter, the junior retired the next 12 batters he faced. The Ducks (33-13, 16-8 Big Ten) were able to provide some run support early, scoring once in both the second and third innings before Anson Aroz added an insurance run in the ninth with a solo home run. All three of Oregon's runs came with two outs. How It Happened: Michigan State (24-21, 10-14 Big Ten) got its leadoff man aboard and moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt. Reitz was able to pitch a ground ball to shortstop, keeping the runner on second, before getting out of the inning with his first strikeout of the day with the count full. With two outs and a full count in the top of the second, Maddox Molony reached on a hit by pitch to bring Burke-Lee Mabeus to the dish. The freshman swung at the first pitch he saw, ripping a double down the left field line to score Moloney from first. Jason Reitz at Michigan State In the third, Parker Stinson singled to right field and was able to advance to second thanks to a throwing error by the Spartans' right fielder. Stinson moved over to third when Jacob Walsh grounded out to the first baseman, then scored the Ducks' second run of the day on a wild pitch. After Reitz retired 12 batters in a row, Michigan State was able to get the leadoff man on base with a single up the middle, but Mabeus sent him back to the dugout, picking him off at first. Reitz pitched another ground ball and a strikeout to get out of the inning unscathed. The Spartans led off the sixth with a double, moved the runner to third on a sac bunt, and brought him home on a sac fly to left. Reitz faced the first two batters in the sixth, allowing a leadoff walk before getting the out on another sacrifice bunt. Cole Stokes entered in relief with one away and a runner on second but left him stranded, retiring the next two batters. With runners at first and third and two away in the eighth, Stokes tallied his third strikeout of the day to keep the Ducks in the lead. Aroz then doubled the Ducks' advantage in the top of the ninth, crushing his 13th home run of the year down the left field line. Seth Mattox came in to pitch in the bottom of the frame, retiring all three batters he faced en route to his fourth save of the season. On Deck: The Ducks return to PK Park on Tuesday for the first of two games against Saint Mary's (6:05 p.m., B1G+).

I also have to do a "shout-out" to Carter Garate, who had three sensational plays at third base where the his athleticism and speed to the outs by the smallest margins. One was a bunt that he barely got to in time, picked it up with one hand and whipped it to first for an out. Another was barely getting a bouncing hit that looked it would get past him, but he whirled around and snagged it on the bounce on the backside of his glove. He then spun and fired to first in one motion for a blockbuster out! Really impressive... Doing the "whirl" against Beavis...

Oregon got VERY fortunate with the use of their pitchers. The first game was only Grayson Grinsell, and in the second game it was only Collin Clarke and Ian Umlandt for the duration. In this game we saw Jason Reitz go 6.1 innings, Cole Stokes only go for 1.2 innings, and Seth Mattox close the final inning. This is crucial, as the Ducks have a two-game midweek series with St. Marys before taking on the Bastard-Huskies beginning on Friday. Having rested arms for the midweek is happening, and Oregon is lucky that all the pitchers did a great job this weekend. Our pitchers are improving at the RIGHT TIME!

Game summary coming soon!

Ducks win 3-1 as Anson Aroz blasted through the cold air to clear the fence, and Seth Mattox came in and got another save for Oregon to easily put the Michigan State batters down.

2-1 Ducks after eight innings. Oregon is living TOO dangerously, as it takes so little for Michigan State to win this game. Stokes plinked a batter, and then gave up a hit. But he came through with runners on the corners to keep the inning scoreless.

2-1 Ducks after seven innings, as reliever Cole Stokes came in with a Michigan State runner on third, and dissolved the threat.

2-1 Ducks after six innings, as the first Michigan State batter caught a pitch and got a double out of it. Then the Spartans sacrificed a grounder and fly ball to score him. Ducks gotta get the bats going! The MSU pitcher does not have a great ERA, but all that matters is how he is pitching TODAY.

2-0 Ducks after five innings, as Reitz continues to hold them scoreless. A Michigan State batter did get a hit, but catcher Coen Niclai fired to first base after a pitch and delivered a perfect placement for Jacob Walsh to apply the tag and pick-off. Ducks have been doing this extremely well lately! Reitz has been great, and he only has 64 pitches after five innings, thus he could go deep into the game. He is hitting his fastball that is tough with his huge from looming over batters, but he also has a slider that makes the ball trajectory tough to follow. Then he'll throw in a curve-drop ball that leaves them whiffing at the air.

2-0 Ducks after four innings, as the Oregon offense has stalled, but Jason Reitz keeps that lead over the Spartans.

2-0 Ducks after three innings, as Reitz put the Spartans down 1-2-3. Parker Stinson hit a deep line-drive angling outward in right field, and then it hit their weird hill, skidded into the fence and bounded down...all of which delayed the MSU fielder from getting to it, and thus a double for Stinson. Jacob Walsh grounds out to move Stinson to third, and then Stinson scores on a wild pitch. The field conditions are the worst today for a hitting team, as it is cold and the ball cannot carry over the fence, and the wild is intense and looks bone-chilling. The reporter speaking on the sideline had her bangs blowing all of the place as she was trying to speak, and this will impact hitting, but also pitches.

1-0 Ducks after two innings. Oregon starter Jason Reitz has allowed hits by Michigan State, but quelled the threat in the first inning and put them out 1-2-3 in the second. Maddox Molony walks, and then Burke-Lee Mabeus hits a deep drive into left field that has a spin that takes the ball into the deep corner to allow Molony to score from first!

In today's starting lineup...we keep Jacob Walsh at first base, move Anson Aroz to center from left, Drew Smith at right field, and because of the injury to center fielder Mason Neville--he is DH, and Dominic Hellman's hitting will be missed this game. Little-used Parker Stinson makes the start at left, as he is a transfer from Indiana State and brought here as a hitter, but was injured early-on.

Yes he underperformed...but in the end having the 'Natty is all that matters. And yes, Chip Kelly did come to the rescue, but that has to be credited to Day because it was Day who hired him.

Neville Homers Twice More to Lead Oregon to a Win EAST LANSING, Mich. — Mason Neville slugged a pair of home runs while Jacob Walsh and Anson Aroz each added a homer to lead No. 6 Oregon to a 13-5 win over Michigan State on Saturday in Big Ten Conference action at McLane Stadium. The Ducks, who evened the series with the win, scored in every inning except the second and third including a four-run inning and three two-run innings. A day after getting a complete game from Grayson Grinsell, starter Collin Clarke and reliever Ian Umlandt combined to pitch all nine innings leaving Oregon with a number of fresh arms for Sunday’s rubber match. How It Happened: After being shutout on Friday, Oregon (32-13, 15-8 Big Ten) wasted no time getting on the board scoring four runs in the top of the first inning. Neville walked and Dominic Hellman followed with a double to set up the rally. Drew Smith, who had a pair of hits in game one of the series, picked up Neville with an RBI single moving Hellman to third. Anson Aroz made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly before Burke-Lee Mabeus drove in Smith with an infield hit. Ryan Cooney capped off the inning with a shot up the right-field line that ricocheted off the umpire keeping it a single but scoring Maddox Molony who walked earlier. Michigan State (24-20, 10-13 Big Ten) got back into the game tying it with a pair or runs in the second and two more in the third. Mason Neville hit TWO homers... Oregon regained the lead in the fourth scoring a pair of runs. Cooney led off the frame with a hit and moved to third on a Carter Garate single before scoring on a throwing error by the MSU pitcher on a comebacker. Garate who moved to third on the error scored on a Hellman swinging bunt. The Ducks added to the lead with two more runs in the fifth and another in the sixth, with all three runs coming via the long ball. Cooney doubled setting the table for Neville who crushed a two-run shot over the right-field fence. Walsh followed the next inning with a solo homer out of the same part of the ballpark. Oregon tacked on another run in the seventh inning. Mabeus led off the inning with his second infield hit of the game before stealing second and moving to third on a Cooney deep fly ball to right field. Garate picked up the RBI executing a perfect squeeze bunt to score Mabeus. Aroz added a two-out solo homer in the eighth before Neville went yard again in the ninth blasting a two-run shot after Garate reached with a two-out infield single. Box Score Notes: Neville now has national-best 23 home runs … He has six career two-home run games and has hit home runs in 20 of 43 games played this season … Walsh has homered in four of the last five games … Clarke had his second consecutive quality start and his fifth of the season … Umlandt’s save was the first of his career. On Deck: The series finale is Sunday (8:35 a.m. PT, B1G+).

Agreed. When they are THAT good, I just have to tip my hat. It was not fair to Grayson Grinsell, as he only gave up one earned run, (a dropped flyball) and pitched all the innings for Oregon.

Ducks win 13-5, as Ian Umlandt finished off the game, and kept Michigan State scoreless again. Carter Garate beat out the throw on an infield single, and then Mason Neville put up his 23rd home run of the season to score both!

11-5 Ducks after eight innings, as Ian Umlandt gives up some hits, but keeps them scoreless for the inning. Anson Aroz hits a homer to give Oregon a run to extend the lead over Michigan State!

10-5 Ducks after seven innings, Ian Umlandt comes in and gives up a couple of hits and a run to Michigan State. Burke-Lee Mabeus hits a slow-roller to the shortstop, and beats the throw to first base for the infield single. Then he steals second, and Ryan Cooney hits a sacrifice fly to right field to move Mabeus to third base. Carter Garate then does a perfect sacrifice bunt down the first-base line to score Mabeus!

9-4 Ducks after six innings, as Collin Clarke returned and held Michigan State scoreless again. He is up to 95 pitches, so while I assume this is the extent of his arm--he IS still looking good. Jacob Walsh splashed a home run in the river behind the Spartan Park to add another for Oregon!

8-4 Ducks after five innings, as Collin Clarke looks confident putting down the Spartan side. He has 79 pitches, and I wonder if he will come out for the sixth? I say...yes, to go with what you know versus the unknown. Ryan Cooney kept his hot hitting streak going with a double that skids weirdly on a hill this park has in front of the fence? Odd...but it put him on second, as Mason Neville comes up and hits his Nation-Leading 22nd home run of the year that scores he and Cooney.

6-4 Ducks after four innings. You never know...bringing a pitcher back, but Clarke kept the Spartans scoreless for this inning, and he could go longer into the game. Ryan Cooney hit the first pitch for a line drive into shallow left field. Next Oregon executed a perfect hit-and-run with Carter Garate line driving a single to shallow right field, while Cooney jets to third base from first. Against a new pitcher, Mason Neville hits a pud-hit to the pitcher...who over throws first and scored Cooney. Dominic Hellman grounds out, but scores Garate. We had more action--but left bases-loaded stranded...

4-4 after three innings. Crap…they are hitting Clarke well.

4-2 Ducks after two innings, as Clarke walked, gave up a hit, and then a triple to score two. Gotta keep scoring!