Boy...this shoots the hell out of my day! Welcome to Big-10 Baseball Charles, because when they start their games at 4:00 PM...it is just after lunch for us.

Purdue is where Coach Waz coached for a few years, so not only does he know Big-10 ballparks well, but he knows this one superbly. Surprisingly...Purdue is a decent team, a team that could beat us if we don't play (or pitch) our best. The Boilermakers are 8-3 as they swept Marist, won a series with Portland, barely lost to No. 11 Southern Miss 5-4 and beat Beavis in a tournament, 5-2.

So come ready to play, as their pitcher, Cole Van Assen has an ERA of 4.16 (respectably good) and we counter with our ace, Will Sanford. (ERA of 0.00) Purdue has some really tough relievers, and some others that don't look so hot. I imagine to take a game off of us--they will throw the best relievers at us in the first game?

Saturday's game is at 11:00 AM PST, and Sunday at 9:00 AM PST? (Charles...get used to it!)

Will Sanford

2-1 Ducks after two innings. You have to pardon me...I got behind because I was making my brunch as the game began.

Jax Gimenez walks, and Dominic Hellman got an error-double as the center fielder dropped the fly on the run to score Gimenez. Will Sanford put them down easily to finish the first inning.

In the second inning, we saw Drew Smith zing a base hit down the 3rd baseline, and then Jack Brooks scorched a hit up the middle to score Smith.

Will Sanford began having control issues as he walked two batters, gave up a hit, and a sac-fly scored a run for Purdue.

7-1 Ducks after three innings!

Dominic Hellman blasts a single away from the shift, and then Maddox Molony got a bloop single behind second base. A passed ball moves both runners up, and then the Boilermakers passed Drew Smith to first base.

Gabe Miranda walks to score a run, and then Burke-Lee Mabeus hit a GRAND SLAM over the RF fence on a low-to-high swing timed perfectly!

7-2 Ducks after four innings. Nothing on offense this inning, and Sanford had real control issues. He walked two batters, plinked another and then walked in a run. He is up to 75 pitches in four innings, so I expect he is done for the day. Gave up his first two earned runs of the year.

7-2 Ducks after five innings. Nothing on offense, but Will Sanford came back in! He gave up a double, but on his 100th pitch...got a strikeout!

7-5 Ducks after six innings. Nothing on offense this inning from Oregon.

The Oregon pitchers losing control from the game with Beavis...is contagious. Tanner Bradley came in with a 0.00 ERA, and lost his control, as he walked two batters and gave up a three-run homer. He was replaced by Ryan Featherston who got the third out.

7-5 Ducks after seven innings. We stranded two again...and it seems that Gabe Miranda is at the plate when it is two outs and runners in scoring position and he falters. He was hitting .158 coming into the game, and I think they may have to make a change at first base.

Ryan Featherston took care of the side, and it makes you appreciate good pitching!

8-5 Ducks after eight innings. Jack Brooks took a beautiful swing low to hit a dinger over the center-right field wall!

Ryan Featherston got the side retired, with help of an incredible play by Ryan Cooney at second to grab a ball off the dirt that bounced off the pitcher's mitt and fire it to first...just barely.

Ducks win 8-7, as Ryan Featherston gave up a triple, and then a two-run HR. But with two outs and full-count on the batter--he generated a line drive that went straight to 1st baseman Miranda for the final out. Whew!

We seemed in control most of the game, then pitching would give up a batch of runs. Glad we have an offense!

I am sorry, but right now this is not a CWS team. Until their pitching staff stops giving so many free passes the better teams will beat them. They have

given up more walks and Hit batters then they have hits! One of the weirdest stats I have ever seen for an 11-2 team.

Yep. What a difference a week makes. But they just got hit in the mouth...how will they come respond?

After his meltdown against Cal-Irvine, Devin Bell rescued us with bases loaded against Vanderbilt...and that was after he walked a guy. He gathered himself, and got it done.

Ditto for Ryan Featherston today. He was doing great, and then they caught onto him. Give up a triple, and then a homer back-to-back? He sucked it up, and was mentally strong to get the next, and last two outs in the ninth today.

OREGON ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2026

BASEBALL | @OregonBaseball

 

Ducks Open Big Ten Play with a Win at Purdue

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Burke-Lee Mabeus belted a grand slam while three Oregon pitchers combined to strike out 17 batters helping Oregon hold on for an 8-7 Big Ten Conference win at Purdue on Friday night.

 

Oregon starter Will Sanford (3-0) picked up the win after striking out a career-high eight in 5.0 inning of work while allowing a pair of runs on three hits with four walks. Tanner Bradley struck out three in 0.2 innings of work but struggled with his control walking two, hitting one batter with another reaching base on strike three on a wild pitch.

 

Ryan Featherston came out of the bullpen to get out of a two-on, two-out jam in the sixth inning fanning the first batter he faced to end the inning. After the leadoff runner reached on an error in the seventh inning, Featherston retired the next five batters he faced, four on strikeouts, with the sixth out coming on a caught stealing on the runner who reached in the seventh on the error.

 

A misplayed ball to lead off the ninth was scored a triple with Featherston giving up a two-run homer to the next batter. Not to be phased, he retired three of the next four hitters to pick up his first save of the season.

 

How It Happened: Oregon (11-2, 1-0 B1G) jumped on top early with a run in the top of the first. Maddox Molony picked up an RBI with a sacrifice fly scoring Jax Gimenez who reached on a hit-by-pitch before moving to third on a Dominic Hellman double off the center-field wall.

 

The Ducks tacked on a run in the top of the second. Drew Smith led off the inning with a base hit past the third baseman, stole second, moved to third on a ground out and then scored on a Jack Brooks base hit.

 

Purdue (8-4, 0-1 B1G) got a run back in the second on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly, but Oregon answered with five in the top of the third. After the Boilermakers intentionally walked Drew Smith to load the bases with two outs, Gabe Miranda drew a four-pitch walk to make it 3-1. Burke-Lee Mabeus then took the first pitch he saw and lined a 109 mile per hour line drive over the right-field wall for a grand slam and a 7-1 lead.

 

The Boilermakers scored a run in the fourth on a bases-loaded walk and then got a two-out three-run home run against reliever Tanner Bradley to cut the lead to 7-5.

 

Jack Brooks gave Oregon an insurance run in the eighth inning when he belted his first career home run.

 

Box Score Notes: The Ducks have won nine straight Big Ten Conference regular-season games dating back to May 3, 2025 … Ryan Cooney went 0-for-5, which snapped his 12-game hitting and reached base streak … Hellman (3-for-5) and Smith (2-for-3, BB) both extended their reached-base streak to 13 … Mabeus’ grand slam was the second of his career, and the Ducks second of the season … Smith belted Oregon’s first in the George Mason series … Featherston picked up his fifth career save.

 

On Deck: The two teams meet in game two of the series tomorrow. First pitch is at 11:02 a.m. (PT).