For those who have watched baseball for long....we know today is a new day, and Our Beloved Ducks face a new pitcher.

The pitcher for Northwestern yesterday was their worst in Ryan Weaver, whose ERA was 8.86, and I am sure has ballooned up. Today we face one below with great-to-decent ERAs...

Matt Kouser, ERA of 2.57

Garrett Shearer, ERA of 3.60

Jake Rifenburg, ERA of 5.63

Oregon counters with Collin Clarke, whose ERA is 2.27 and a different thrower than the hard-throwing Sanford. I expect a battle!

Go Ducks!

2-0 Ducks after one inning. Collin Clarke has a cutter that along with the drop-curve tied up the Northwestern batters...1-2-3! The Wildcat pitcher is Garret Shearer, who had a 3.60 ERA coming into this game.

After a couple of fly-outs, Dominic Hellman walked, and the Drew Smith blasted a pitch over the LF wall for a two-run homer!

5-2 Ducks after two innings. Collin Clarke gave up a walk, some hits, and with sacrifice grounder and fly--the Wildcats tie up the score.

But not for long, as Maddox Molony got plinked, and then Gabe Miranda tore through a pitch and sent it over the CF/RF wall to score two!

Then the Ducks go back-to-back as Brayden Jaksa (catching today) blasts a ball over the CF/LF wall for another dinger.

5-2 Ducks after three innings. Good Gosh...Collin Clarke put them down in order, with two strikeouts!

Oregon leaves two runners stranded...

6-2 Ducks after four innings. Collin Clarke did it again, (1-2-3) and only has 47 pitches in four innings, and could go deep into the game.

Ryan Cooney crushed a pitch, and sent it over the CF wall for a HR that adds to our score.

6-4 Ducks after five innings. Clarke gave up a two-run homer to help Northwestern close the gap.

Oregon stranded two on base again...

6-4 Ducks after six innings. Collin Clarke had two base runners, but struck out two to rescue the inning.

Bats were quiet against the Northwestern relief pitcher.