Everyone is welcome to join in, and I have no idea who we are starting today...

0-0 after one inning. The surprise starter is Leo Ulemen, who was a big recruit years ago, and sat out most of the last year and a half due to injuries. He gave up a double to the lead off hitter, who got to third on a wild pitch. Then...the throw from the outfield on a caught fly was overthrown to the backstop, and that was an invitation for the runner to take home. But Ulemen got to the ball in time and fired it to Brayden Jaksa, who made the tag at home for the out!

He also had a strikeout on the final batter to get him through a nervous first inning unscathed. Good for him!

1-0 Ducks after two innings. Leo Uelmen has a nasty inside curve, and a deceptive changeup to compliment his fast ball. The highlight of the inning was a great low catch by Maddox Molony, and then he scrambles on the turf to get to second base to put that runner out. Double Play!

Gabe Miranda got a hit through the RF shift against him, and Drew Smith was plinked. Then comes our new DH for this game RSFr. Naulivou Lauaki, another big-guy on the team at 6'5" 265 pounds...who nails one through the LF/CF gap to score Miranda. Oregon stranded two on base...

1-1 after three innings. Leo Uelmen looked much better than we had seen in the past, but with two outs and runners on the corners...Oregon decided to bring in Michael Meckna. Breaking in Ulemen gradually is a good idea, and he looks like another piece to build in the bullpen.

Meckna gave up a hit to allow Xavier their first run, but with a huge moment with bases loaded...got the strikeout!

1-1 after four innings. Michael Meckna gave up a hit, who then took second...who was then picked-off on a wonderful example of teamwork between Meckna and Ryan Cooney. He kept them scoreless, and is emerging as a reliable option in the Oregon bullpen.

The Musketeer pitching is much better this game, and kept us handcuffed.

1-1 after five innings. Highly regarded true freshman Oregon pitcher Josh Hollis takes over, and while he has taken some lumps in the earlier games--those forge the experience needed for continued innings to build his confidence. He kept Xavier scoreless as the fielding made some great plays to assist him.

1-1 after six innings, and Josh Hollis looked good putting them down 1-2-3.

We finally got the opposing starting pitcher out, but their reliever is no help for the Good-Guys as we got nothing.

6-1 Ducks after seven innings. It was getting to "nervous" time! Josh Hollis had four straight strikeouts to bring it to two outs, but then Ryan Featherston was called from the bullpen to strike the batter out!

Coach Waz made an interesting move to pull catcher Brayden Jaksa

and put veteran catcher Burke-Lee Mabeus in to bat...and he hits a

line-drive over the RF wall!

Josh Schleichardt got plinked, and Elijah Cook took over at first as a pinch-runner. Ryan Cooney singles into short RF, and Cook flies to third. Jax Gimenez then walks to load the bases....with Dominic Hellman coming up? He did not disappoint as he smashed the first pitch of a new reliever to the wall to give him a double, and clear the other bases for three runs scored!

Gabe Miranda's bat is sure waking up lately, as he hit a double off the RF wall to score Hellman! That was such a beautiful swing...

6-3 Ducks after eight innings. Ryan Featherston was doing well...until he gave up a two-run Homer over RF.

Three more outs!

Oregon wins 6-3, as Miles Gosztola comes in for one batter, walks him, and pitching coach Matt Flores doesn't like what he sees and replaces him with transfer Devin Bell, who has two saves. Bell was throwing at 95 and 96 mph, and generated a double play, but with two outs Bell gives up two hits.

So Xavier has two runners in scoring position and with two outs....Bell strikes the batter out. Whew!

Two close for comfort! Getting these young kids some game time experience during the mid week games will get them prepared for the stretch drive later on.

Bring on the Hoosiers!

34 minutes ago, sports fan said:

Two close for comfort! Getting these young kids some game time experience during the mid week games will get them prepared for the stretch drive later on.

Bring on the Hoosiers!

I completely agree, as we actually had a perfect result. We gave young pitchers who are trying to acquire their confidence some valuable game experience, and yet we still won the game.

OREGON ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2026

BASEBALL | @OregonBaseball

 Pinch-Hit Homer Sparks Ducks To Victory

EUGENE, Ore. — For six innings Wednesday, the tension built. It exploded in the seventh, and Burke-Lee Mabeus was the detonator. 

Playing off the bench Wednesday, Mabeus hit a pinch homer in the seventh that broke a scoreless tie, electrified both dugouts and provided a jolt of energy that permeated the rest of the game before Oregon hung on for a 6-3 win over Xavier at PK Park. The Musketeers had the tying run at the plate in the ninth, but the Ducks pulled it out thanks to a five-run seventh inning sparked by the homer from Mabeus.

"We were able to tack on some runs right there, which was really important — was the difference in the ball game," UO coach Mark Wasikowski said.

Mabeus pulled his pinch homer to right field, which got both teams chirping at each other on the field and from the dugouts. Once order was restored, the Ducks rallied for four more runs, riding the surge of momentum provided by Mabeus' clutch hit.

Burke-Lee Mabeus after his homer

"I didn't think it was gone off the bat," Mabeus said. "I had been sitting down for a little bit, and I was thinking, like, hopefully my legs are ready to leg out a double. And then it got over the wall, and I was relieved that I could slow down a little bit."

Oregon's seventh-inning rally made a winner of reliever Ryan Featherston (3-0), one of five UO arms to appear out of the bullpen following the first start in nearly three years by right-hander Leo Uelmen. The Ducks (14-3) will take a three-game win streak into their Big Ten home opener Friday against Indiana.

"Really excited to be in Eugene, but it starts with taking care of a good practice Thursday, making sure the team's right, spending quality time together and making sure we take care of business Friday," Mabeus said. "And we'll go from there."

How It Happened: Uelmen made his first start since May 5, 2023, and pitched into the third while allowing one run. He benefitted from two double plays — left fielder Josh Schleichardt had a memorable first start, catching a flyball in the first and then throwing out a runner at home, and shortstop Maddox Molony snared a line drive before diving to beat a runner back to second base to end the second.

Uelmen left with two on and two out in the third. 

"Good story," Wasikowski said. "He's a worker. He's a great kid, a really good human being. And you know, his stuff now is better than it's ever been."

One of those inherited runners came around to score, but that only tied the game after Oregon had scored in the bottom of the second. Gabe Miranda singled to lead off that inning for the Ducks, and later scored from second on a base hit by Naulivou Lauaki, who was also making his first career start.

The game remained tied into the seventh, when Mabeus entered as a pinch hitter and untied it. He said UO assistant coach Jack Marder gave him a scouting report on the Xavier pitcher before he stepped into the box.

"When we get those rundowns, I've got full faith and trust in those, and so, yeah, I knew what I was getting," Mabeus said. "I was just looking for a ball over the plate, hunting a fastball there, and I was able to get my pitch."

Dominic Hellman watches his 3-Run Blast

Oregon's dugout exploded in jubilation, and Xavier's did so in frustration. When things calmed down, Schleichardt was hit by a pitch, Ryan Cooney singled and Jax Gimenez walked to load the bases. Dominic Hellman promptly unloaded them with a three-run double, before scoring on a Miranda double that made it 6-1.

"Basically it was just keeping what I was doing the same," Hellman said of his approach in that at-bat after being 0-for-3 up to that point. "I mean, obviously I didn't have a great day at the plate before the double, and it was just knowing what I did well throughout the day and knowing how they can possibly pitch me."

The Musketeers responded with a two-run homer in the eighth. In the ninth, a leadoff walk drew Oregon closer Devin Bell from the bullpen, and he promptly coaxed a double play. 

"As soon as I came out of the pen, I talked to Maddox and told him, be ready for the ball," Bell said. "I wasn't looking for strikeouts. I was looking to get the ball in play, turn a double play there. That's what happened."

The next two batters reached, but Bell stranded both runners in scoring position with a strikeout to end the game.

On Deck: The Ducks open a three-game series against visiting Indiana on Friday (4 p.m., B1G+).