Eighth Win Gives Ducks Best Start Since 2014

EUGENE, Ore. — Oregon baseball is off to its best start in more than a decade, a hot streak that the Ducks will be challenged to extend this upcoming weekend.

The Ducks completed a series sweep of Youngstown State on Sunday to improve to 8-0 for the first time since the 2014 season. To threaten the 1963 team's school-record start of 12-0, Oregon will have to stay hot at the upcoming Live Like Lou Las Vegas Collegiate Baseball Classic, in which Arizona, UC Irvine and Vanderbilt loom this next weekend.

"We have some work to do," UO coach Mark Wasikowski said. "We're looking forward to another prep/work week this week, and another opportunity this coming weekend. But it's been a lot of fun to be around a group that cares and is detail-oriented and cares about the program, puts the program first. When you get guys that put the program first, it makes it really enjoyable."

Oregon extended its winning streak to open the season with a 15-6 victory Sunday over the Penguins at PK Park. The Ducks once again showed off the depth and versatility of their lineup, and the arsenal of arms in the bullpen, despite playing the game in a steady drizzle.

"Luckily, it happens a lot in the fall," senior third baseman Drew Smith said of playing in the rain. "You're playing a game versus practice, so yeah, there's maybe a couple differences. But we see these things all the time in practice."

Cal Scolari

Smith was 2-for-3 with his third home run of the season and four RBIs on Sunday. The Ducks got that production out of their No. 6 hitter, and the three spots behind him in the lineup combined to go 6-for-11 with four runs and RBIs. On the mound, five pitchers combined to keep the Penguins from threatening after the Ducks took a 4-0 lead in the first inning.

The level of competition is about to take a jump in Las Vegas, but the Ducks believe they have the culture to keep competing well.

"Kinda just keep doing the same thing that we're doing," Smith said. "It's a really close-knit group. I mean, we enjoy being around each other every day. So I think just carrying that into the road. It's gonna be different playing on dirt and all that stuff, but at the end of the day, it's still baseball."

How It Happened: UO starter Cal Scolari faced the minimum in the top of the first, thanks to two Penguins thrown out after reaching base. In the bottom of the inning, Gabe Miranda came up with one out and runners at the corners, and his RBI single gave Oregon a 1-0 lead.

Two batters later, with two runners in scoring position and two outs, Smith lofted a ball to left-center that hit the top of the fence and bounced over for his third homer of the season.

"It did just sneak out," Smith said. "I honestly had no idea. I knew I hit it decent, so I was just trying to get to second in case he dropped it or something."

Drew Smith

After a leadoff homer and an unearned run got Youngstown State within 4-2 in the top of the second, the Ducks responded. Jax Gimenez tripled to drive in Ryan Cooney, and Gimenez scored on a groundball out by Dominic Hellman.

Oregon scored again in the third when Angel Laya doubled with one out, took third on a wild pitch and scored on a groundball out by fellow freshman Brayden Jaksa. Scolari then pitched a scoreless top of the fourth inning to complete his day, leaving with a 7-2 lead.

I don't know if he's ever pitched in any sort of rain or whatever, being down in San Diego for a couple years (prior to transferring to Oregon)," Wasikowski said. "… Great experience this weekend — great experience with a lot of things. They had to deal with a lot of adverse conditions, and they were able to handle those things and come out with wins. That's good."

Ryan Featherston (2-0), who got a win as a starter on the opening weekend, pitched two scoreless innings of relief to get another win Sunday. In between his scoreless frames, the Ducks tacked on five runs in the bottom of the fifth — Hellman and Cooney had RBI doubles, Laya had an RBI single and two runs scored on wild pitches.

Laya had another RBI single in the sixth, and Jaksa followed with another to make it 14-2 entering the seventh. The Penguins added three more runs in the late innings as Oregon got some work for its bullpen, and the Ducks scored one more, in the eighth, when Cooney reached on an error and Jaksa came home on the play.

Up Next: The Ducks face Arizona in Las Vegas on Friday at 6 p.m.

Oregon Baseball Trounces Youngstown St. 15-6 in Sunday Series Finale and Claims 2nd Series Sweep

Oregon baseball improved to 8-0 with a 15-6 win over Youngstown State on Sunday at PK Park, finishing off a second straight series sweep behind Drew Smith and Angel Laya.

https://247sports.com/college/oregon/article/oregon-baseball-trounces-youngstown-st-15-6-in-sunday-series-finale-and-claims-2nd-series-sweep-275301675/

Cautious optimism here.