Charles Fischer

5-0 Ducks after three innings. Collin Clarke went 1-2-3, and seems to got his control down further. Gabe Miranda has a big-hit reputation, and was batting cleanup...but we had not seen the big bat until now. He had a sweet swing to make the ball bonk on the practice facility roof past RF. Maddox Molony hits a screamer down the 3rd baseline to get a double. Then another bat came to life as Burke-Lee Mabeus hit a two-run homer at the top of the roof of the practice facility. Whew! We needed both those bats to come around...

2-0 Ducks after two innings. Collin Clarke gave up a hit and plinked a batter, but got out of it scoreless. On offense...Ducks stranded two on base!

2-0 Ducks after one inning. Collin Clarke gave up a hit, but dispensed with the rest, although freshman Angel Laya leaped above the RF fence to rob a Penguin home run. Whew! Ryan Cooney walked, and steals second base. Jax Gimenez gets plinked, and both runners move up a base on a passed ball. After two outs...Maddox Molony gets in a 0-2 hole as a batter, and works it into a walk! Bases loaded and two outs... Drew Smith comes up and nails a zinger between the 3rd baseman, and the shortstop for a hit that scores Cooney and Gimenez!

Oregon faced a great starting pitcher yesterday who only gave up one unearned run in six innings. Today we face Penguin pitcher Jack Messmore, a senior RHP, who also had an incredible game last week against Auburn where he scattered six hits in six scoreless innings versus the Tigers. This will be a tall-test for Oregon's starter Collin Clarke to keep up, and it looks to be another low-scoring nail-biter today. In the end, it was the relievers for Youngstown State yesterday that gave up the most, and I hoping for the same today--and I think our batters are better. Collin Clarke

OREGON ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2026 BASEBALL | @OregonBaseball Sanford, Ducks Blank Penguins in Game 2 EUGENE, Ore. – The Oregon baseball team got a terrific outing from starting pitcher Will Sanford and three scoreless innings from the bullpen in a 3-0 win over Youngstown State on Friday afternoon at PK Park. A day after the offense put up 18 runs in a series-opening victory, it was the pitching staff that carried the Ducks (6-0) in game two of a four-game set. Sanford (2-0) struck out six batters across six scoreless innings before Tanner Bradley delivered 2.1 strong innings of relief and Devin Bell (1) closed out the save. “There was really good execution today,” head coach Mark Wasikowski said. “Really solid pitching and defense. They were able to slow the game down and execute when they needed to. Our pitchers came in and made big pitches.” Sanford and Youngstown State starter Braden Gebhardt (0-1) were locked in a pitcher’s duel from the onset. The Ducks managed just two hits across seven innings against Gebhardt but were able to push across a run on a passed ball in the fourth inning before manufacturing a pair of insurance runs against the Penguins’ bullpen in the eighth inning. The win marked the 300th of Wasikowski’s head-coaching career. “I'm blessed to be at this place,” Wasikowski said. “Working at the University of Oregon is unbelievable. It's a dream of mine, and I got an opportunity to do it. Thanks to Mr. (Rob) Mullens for being able to represent this great school; it is something that I take a lot of pride in.” How it Happened: Sanford walked his first batter of the game but bounced back immediately to retire the next three with a pair of strikeouts. He did the same over the next three innings, giving up a single in each but never allowing a runner to get past second base. Will Sanford “I felt good,” Sanford said. “Just knowing that I have a good defense behind me, letting balls get put into play. I felt like I could beat them with my fastballs and that’s what I did.” Oregon was able to get to Gebhardt in the fourth, with Jax Gimenez working a leadoff walk before Dominic Hellman followed with a double for the Ducks’ first hit of the day. Gebhardt was nearly out of the inning after retiring the next two batters, but a passed ball brought Gimenez in from third and put the Ducks ahead. Sanford set the Penguins (0-5) down in order in the fifth and then erased a leadoff hit-by-pitch in the sixth with a double play. He then stranded an infield single with a flyout to center field to complete six shutout innings. “Will Sanford made big pitches all day when he needed to,” Wasikowski said. “He matched their ace … I thought his stuff was good. I don't think it was his best stuff, but I thought he had good stuff today. But his mentality, I thought, was fantastic, just knocking them loose.” The Ducks got to the Youngstown State bullpen for a pair of runs in the eighth, as freshman Owen Morgan legged out a pinch-hit, infield single and stole second before coming around to score on an error and a wild pitch. Jack Brooks then worked a walk, stole second, got to third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI groundout by Gimenez. Bradley came on for Sanford in the seventh and set down the first six batters he saw, recording three strikeouts to send the game to the ninth with Oregon up, 3-0. Bradley returned to the mound for the ninth to try and finish the three-inning save, but he walked the bases loaded with one out before being relieved by Bell. With the tying runs aboard and the go-ahead run at the plate, Bell struck out the first batter he faced on a full count and then ended the game with an infield popout. “I think we have the best staff in the nation,” Sanford said. “I think every guy in the pen can shut a game down. Having Tanner and Devin follow me after that, I have so much faith in those guys to shut it down and, you know, they put up three zeroes.” Box Score Notes: Sanford gave up just four hits and one walk across six shutout frames, and he has now thrown 11.0 scoreless innings to open the season … Bradley has combined to throw 4.1 scoreless innings of relief in two appearances this season without surrendering a hit … Bell earned his first save as a Duck and Oregon’s first save of the season … Hellman, Morgan and Ryan Cooney accounted for Oregon’s three hits, and Gimenez worked a pair of walks … Oregon recorded its first shutout win of the season. On Deck: Oregon will go for the series win over Youngstown State on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. (Mr. FishDuck Note: We have a great GameDay Thread of the game below with more in-depth description and videos of the action.)

Ducks win 3-0, but it got dicey at the end. Tanner Bradley had such incredible pitches and control for two innings just melted down under the pressure, and lost control. He got an out, but walked THREE batters to load the bases! Oregon brought in big 6'4" transfer from Western Oregon, Devin Bell to rescue Our Beloved Ducks. Geez, he has hardly pitched here and thrown in to save the game? He created a strikeout with a 95 mph fastball, and created a fly-out to end the game. Whew! Guess we found our closer?

3-0 Ducks after eight innings. Tanner Bradley put them down 1-2-3 again and shows us a nasty changeup. Owen Morgan came in the pitch-hit and the freshman got his first hit in Eugene in shallow RF. He steals second, but the throw by the catcher is wild and he scoots over to third. Jack Brooks moves slightly inside as a batter to avoid an inside pitch, and the catcher missed the throw and the ball went to the backstop to score Morgan from third! Brooks walks, steals second, and another passed ball puts him on third. Jax Gimenez bunts and scores Brooks!

1-0 Ducks after seven innings. I sure hope we've seen the last of Penguin pitcher Braden Gebhardt, as he has been terrific and at 96 pitches..he's gotta be done? He has not given up a single run in two games... Meanwhile Will Sanford's day is done, and was relieved by Tanner Bradley who put them down 1-2-3 with these side-whipping, wobbling curves and sinkers. I see why he is the No. 1 reliever, as he is hard to hit!

1-0 Ducks after six innings. Boy that YSU pitcher is good; we had a base runner but just couldn't string hits together on him. Meanwhile the coaches let Will Sanford pitch the sixth, and he was brilliant again. He plinked a batter, but then forced a hit into a double play. At the end of the sixth inning, he threw a 98 mph heater...whew!

1-0 Ducks after five innings. It is certainly a pitcher's duel as the Penguin hurler is good. But Will Sanford has been superb as well as he put them down 1-2-3 with a 96 mph fastball. I would love to see him pitch longer, but he is up to 75 pitches after five innings, and I know they build the pitchers up gradually over the season. It is just that he is hot today, and 90% of him is better than most relievers...

1-0 Ducks after four innings. Will Sanford has given up a hit in each of the last two innings, but comes right back and shuts them down. We are seeing more of his drop/curve for strikes, and his mental strength is much higher than last year in his freshman campaign. Jax Gimenez walked, and then Dominic Hellman nails a pitch and hits the wall about halfway up for a double and moves Gimenez to third. Drew Smith was at bat and moved to bunt...and like a good Oregon baseball player...knew when to DUCK. That brought the ball high and quick to the catcher who had it bounce off his mitt, and to the backstop. That scores Gimenez, and that is the total scoring for both teams after four innings!

0-0 after two innings. Sure enough...the Penguin pitcher is great and held the Ducks down...so far. Will Sanford has done equally as well, with three strikeouts and some heat at 95 mph. This game is a dilly!

Today will be a tougher game, I believe because of the pitcher that Youngstown State is starting. Senior LHP Braden Gebhardt was the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week last week because of his incredible performance at Auburn. He went six innings, gave up only two hits, one unearned run, and eleven strikeouts! Whew! That is as good as performance against Auburn as our staff had against George Mason. I expect a low-scoring pitching duel between him and Will Sanford, and in the end--our batting is better, hence why I could see a 3-1 kind of game. But I will take any win! Will Sanford

Big-10 Commissioner Tony Petitti should see Mike's article and this thread. Thank you Mike Whitty!

Great article to stimulate our thinking Mike, and I do want to encourage any readers who have something to say? Write it up and email it to me at charles@fishduck.com as I welcome guest articles, especially in the off-season. (I need articles for our backlink orders that come in to pay the bills of both sites.) You took me down memory lane, and what I and many Oregon fans feel is that...."it is our turn." We have been hosed, or cheated out of so many opportunities by injuries, bad calls, bad luck, etc. But while we are due, I also acknowledge what you wrote in your article in that...it is hard to win a 'Natty and we do need a little luck with injuries, with matchups in the Playoffs, with the bounces of the ball, or a replay showing grass blades touching a leg, etc. Dan Lanning has this program at an elite level, as we will always be in the preseason top-ten--my belief. Now we need that final "ooomf" to get us over the line. Will it be a special player that emerges, or some new tactic or strategy that a new DC or OC unveils at a big moment? That is what if fun to watch for! Thanks again for a fun article, Mike.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2026 OREGON ATHLETICS | @OregonSB Ducks Upset No. 11 Texas A&M CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. — No. 18 Oregon used timely hitting and another dominant pitching performance from Lyndsey Grein to upset No. 11 Texas A&M, 2-1, Thursday afternoon at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. The win took some of the sting off a 10-5 loss to Auburn earlier in the day. Grein went 6.1 innings against the Aggies and allowed just one run on five hits. She struck out four and walked three to even her record at 3-3. Elise Sokolsky got the final two out of the game to earn her first save of the season. Elon Butler homered against the Aggies, while Rylee McCoy drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth. “I think it just took all of us to come together and have that team chemistry,” said Butler. “We were not going to lose. We worked so hard to get to this point. We just all game together like ‘we’re going to do this’ and it was a great job by the offense.” How It Happened – Game 1: Auburn (10-2) hit a pair of three-run home runs early, but the Ducks (6-5) rallied to stay within striking distance until the Tigers pulled away late. A three-run homer in the top of the first gave Auburn a 3-0 lead, but Amari Harper answered for the Ducks with a two-run home run, her third of the season. The Tigers hit their second three-run home run of the game in the second inning and led 6-2. Oregon then took advantage of a throwing error to plate two runs in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Stefini Ma’ake was hit by a pitch. Freshman Taryn Ho – in her first plate appearance of the season – beat out a bunt single for a base hit. Auburn then tried to get Ma’ake at third, but the throw sailed high and wide and bounced all the way down the left field line. Ma’ake scored easily and Ho raced around the bases and scored standing up, cutting Auburn’s lead to 6-4. The Tigers hit another home run in the top of the third for a 7-4 edge. Oregon mounted one final rally in the sixth inning. Ma’ake singled and Katie Flannery walked to give the Ducks two runners aboard with no outs. Kaylynn Jones then reached on a fielder’s choice when pinch-runner Presley Lawton was safe at third to load the bases. Harper flied out to left to score Lawton, but that was it for the inning. How It Happened – Game 2: Lyndsey Grein and A&M’s Sydney Lessentine waged an entertaining pitchers’ duel. The Aggies only got to Grein once, a solo home run by Micaela Wark in the top of the fourth. Elon Butler answered with her second homer of the season, a solo shot to center field in the bottom of the fourth. “Honestly it felt great,” said Butler. “I’ve been struggling a little bit at the plate, not doing the best that I think I can, but I just saw something over the plate, trusted myself and swung.” After the Ducks tied the game at 1-1, Grein didn’t allow a runner past second base over her final 2.1 innings. “My approach was just relax and have fun,” said Grein. “Softball is supposed to be fun. We work so hard on our craft, so just embracing that.” Rylee McCoy came through with the go-ahead RBI in the bottom of the sixth. Kaylynn Jones walked and Amari Harper singled to lead off the inning. After Butler struck out, Emma Cox lashed a single into left field to load the bases. That brought McCoy to the plate. She hit a ground ball into the hole between first and second. The Aggies’ only play was at first and Jones scored the eventual game-winning run on the fielder’s choice. “They made it easy,” said McCoy. “They were on base and I knew I had one job and that was to score one run for my team and it felt amazing. Everyone worked so hard during the game and it happened to land on me and I’m so happy I got it done for them.” In the top of the seventh inning, Grein got the first out before Kennedy Powell reached on a bunt base hit. The Ducks brought Elise Sokolsky in to close out the game. She needed just three pitches to finish the inning, getting a pair of ground-ball outs for her first save of the season. Notable: In three games against SEC teams this season, Lyndsey Grein is 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA in 19.1 innings. She has allowed three runs on seven hits and has struck out 24 … Taryn Ho got her first career start at shortstop against the Aggies and had a hit and a sacrifice bunt … Kaylynn Jones was 4-for-6 on the day. She had a hit in both games to extend her hitting streak to a career-best seven games … Elise Sokolsky’s save was the sixth of her career, tying her for 10th on the Ducks’ career list. Quotable Outfielder Elon Butler “Obviously were pretty upset after losing to Auburn and the way we lost but I think the biggest this is that we stayed together, doing our thing and playing our game of softball.” Up Next: Oregon plays two more games at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. The Ducks face No. 13 South Carolina at 3 p.m. and Cal State Fullerton – for the third time this season – at 5 p.m.

OREGON ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2026 BASEBALL | @OregonBaseball Ducks Move to 5-0 with Impressive Win EUGENE, Ore. — Five games, five solid starts from five different pitchers on Oregon’s pitching staff. Toby Twist is the latest Ducks’ hurler to impress, allowing just one run on two hits over 5.1 innings in an 18-1 nonconference win over Youngstown State on Thursday afternoon at PK Park. Coming off a weekend where four Oregon starters allowed just two runs on five hits in four games, Twist added to the hot start for the staff while picking up his first career win. Twist (1-0) got plenty of help from an Oregon offense that scored multiple runs in four different innings. The Ducks had 6-run, 5-run, 4-run and 3-run innings while putting the game away early with 10 runs in the first three innings. Twist surrendered a second-inning solo home run and a single to lead off the fourth. On the single, he proceeded to pick off the runner at first. The Ducks’ lefty finished with five strikeouts and just one walk. How It Happened: Oregon did not waste any time getting on the board scoring four unearned runs in the bottom of the first. Ryan Cooney, who led off the first with a double off the top of the left-center field wall, scored on a Gabe Miranda sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead. Maddox Molony followed with a RBI single to left field scoring Jax Gimenez, before stealing second and moving to third on a throwing error by catcher Caleb Hadley. Drew Smith drove in Molony with a triple to left before he scored on a Burke-Lee Mabeus base hit through the right side. Maddox Molony After YSU (0-4) got a run back with a solo homer in the second, Oregon answered in the third. Molony delivered a run-scoring double inside the third-base bag scoring Miranda from first. Mabeus picked up his second RBI driving in Molony on a fielder’s choice. Oregon (5-0) added a third run on a Cooney bases-loaded walk before Dominic Hellman made it a five-run inning with a two-out, two-RBI base hit to right field. Miranda added his second RBI of the inning with a base hit scoring Gimenez. Oregon put together another big inning in the sixth. Molony led off the frame with a home run off the left-field foul pole for an 11-1 lead. Three consecutive singles after the home run led to two more runs. Angel Laya, the reigning Perfect Game and Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Week, delivered the third to drive in both runs. After a pitching change, Oregon added two more runs in the sixth. Gimenez legged out a double that scored Laya from second, before pinch hitter Josh Schleichardt capped the scoring with an RBI on a ground out to first. The Ducks put three more on the scoreboard in the bottom of the eighth inning when Josh Schleichardt belted his first career home run as a Duck. Box Score Notes: Molony made his 100th career start … Molony’s home run was his 27th, moving him into a tie with Guy Krause (1971-74) for fifth all-time at Oregon … Seven Ducks had multiple RBI led by Schleichardt’s four … Four Ducks had multiple hits with Molony finishing with three and Gimenez, Smith Mabeus all picking up two hits … Molony and Gimenez both scored three runs … Josh Hollis and Cooper Markham made their Ducks debut on the mound in relief of twist … Hollis tossed three hitless innings with a pair of strikeouts … Markham got the final three outs and fanned two. On Deck: The teams will play game two of the four-game series on Friday with a 2 p.m. first pitch. Quotes: Head Coach Mark Wasikowski On a win to start the series… “A good win, happy the guys played well. They pitched well. Toby Twist getting a start and handing it off to Josh Hollis’ first college outing. Cooper Markham had his first college outing. To be able to get those guys into the game, and to see them throw exceptionally well was really good.” On Josh Hollis’ performance… “Those guys have really good arms, the freshman, and you saw that today. (Josh) Hollis has been a guy that could easily be a midweek starter for us and will be this year. Then down the road he could easily be a weekend starter. Cooper (Markham) has a power arm and so getting those guys out there, I thought they pitched well. They threw multiple pitches for strikes and were in control of it.” On Toby Twist coming back to the mound… “He has worked really hard; he has always had good stuff. He has always been a good pitcher. Those guys that come back from arm injuries though, it usually takes them a little bit. Theres a hurdle that those guys have to get over. I feel like he was really clawing to get over that hurdle last year. It took him a few outings before he was able to really clear that hurdle and that’ what you saw today. It’s what we saw in our scrimmages.” On Malosi seeing the field… “Another talented freshman. Really good player. It was a game-knows moment he gets inserted into the game and the ball finds him, it happens a lot. A very talented player, he squared the ball up with his at-bat, so it was good to see him play well.” Maddox Molony On Josh Schleichardt’s first hit as an Oregon Duck... “Everyone in the dugout is waiting for that to come back in, and you take a peek at the flag, the winds blowing a little bit out to the right. That’s just meant to happen ... He works. He works really hard. I expect that that’s what he's going to be doing. He’s going to be doing that a lot for us this year.” On teammate Josh Hollis performance... “He looks like he’s been doing this for three years, and you can see it and you can feel it. That’s what we want out of him.” On today’s appearance after struggles at the plate last week... “It’s just a testament to the work I put in. The game has ebb and flows. It goes up, it goes down, but as long as you can stay steady, stuff like that happens.” Toby Twist On his journey throughout his collegiate experience... “It’s been great, definitely. Family and friends and teammates, just day by day, keeping my spirits up, but just staying with our guys next to us is the big thing. Just keeping their spirits high.” On Josh Hollis… “He just looks old, looks like he’s done it before. He’s ready whenever as well.” On his first career win, and being part of a pitching staff that has been so effective to start the year... “It shows you the depth that we have with this pitching staff. Everyone’s ready, and we all have a lot of belief in the next guy.”

Ducks win 18-1 as heralded freshman pitcher Cooper Markham got his inning, and he finished out the game with a 95 mph fastball, and a nice curve.

18-1 Ducks after eight innings. Freshman Josh Hollis blanks them for a third inning, and gives us confidence in him as a relief pitcher in bigger games. Freshman Owen Morgan walked, as did Jax Gimenez. Then transfer Josh Schleichardt comes in and hits LF BOMB for a three-run homer!

15-1 Ducks after seven innings. Josh Hollis pitches a second scoreless inning, and really looks impressive as a freshman.

15-1 Ducks after six innings. We got to see a highly regarded true freshman pitch in Josh Hollis, and he went 1-2-3 with a 92 mph fastball, and a nice offspeed curveball. Maddox Molony got a powerful homer off the left field foul pole, and Drew Smith singles into shallow LF. Burke-Lee Mabeus hit deep to RF, and Smith moves to third. A wild pitch moves Mabeus to second. Angel Laya (a beautiful swing-whew!) hits deep to RF and scores Smith AND Mabeus who jetted from first. It is a perfect time to see some of the other freshman and transfers play as Elijah Cook hit a screamer at the pitcher and got a base hit out of it! Jax Gimenez hits a LF blooper to get a hit and scores a runner, as did fellow transfer Josh Schleichardt scored a runner on a groundout.

A great day for Toby Twist--only giving up one run in five innings and 67 pitches....

10-1 Ducks after five innings. No scoring for Oregon, but Toby Twist went 1-2-3 thanks to an incredible catch by Left fielder Jax Gimenez. He jumped up against the wall and got the catch!

10-1 Ducks after four innings. No scoring by Oregon, but pitcher Toby Twist got a great pick-off at first base, and kept them scoreless!

10-1 Ducks after three innings. Toby Twist gets in jams, but works his way out when he creates a grounder to 3rd baseman Drew Smith, who fires it to second for one out, and then Jack Brooks hurls it hard to just get the batter out. Double play! Gabe Miranda walked, then Maddox Molony hit a screamer down the 3rd baseline that hugs the LF wall, and get snagged up in the corner. It is a double for him, and Miranda scored from first. The big guy can MOVE! Drew Smith bunts and doesn't beat the throw, but the 1st baseman lifted his foot too soon, so safe! Molony moved to third and Burke-Lee Mabeus hits a sacrifice grounder that scores Molony. Angel Laya walks, and Ryan Cooney gets plinked...so bases loaded! Jax Gimenez walks to score a run, and the Dominic Hellman got jammed inside with a fastball, but muscled it to shallow RF to score two! Gabe Miranda hits to deep RF to score Gimenez. This was done primarily on a relief pitcher, so Coach Waz's strategy in starting Toby Twist was correct; get him playing time and experience because we will outscore the 'Guins. (Penguins) He was right!