1-0 Ducks after one inning. Oregon is taking on a freshman pitcher, Aidan Flinn, who has an ERA of 3.37 and both sides will deal with a stiff wind blowing out over CF. The sleeves of players were whipping at times from the wind already...

Jax Gimenez nails a pitch down the 3rd baseline for an opening double, and then Brayden Jaksa follows that up with a line-drive to CF that scores Gimenez. Then the disturbing trend of the weekend continues as Oregon strands bases-loaded...again.

It would appear that Cal Scolari is either injured or lost his starting spot, as Miles Gosztola (4.62 ERA) is the Sunday starter. He gave up two hits, but retired the rest for no-score by the Illini in this inning.

We have a change in the outfield as Brayden Jaksa has switched with Jax Gimenez in moving from RF to LF, as they switch. Perhaps moving the speedy Gimenez due to the wind?

Dominic Hellman is at first base with Burke-Lee Mabeus catching today.

2-1 Illinois after two innings. Oregon stranded two on base this inning for a total of five in just two innings. In Friday's win, we stranded five the entire game, and in yesterday's loss we stranded a ridiculous 15.

Miles Gosztola gave up hits and two runs...

2-1 Illinois after three innings. Oregon strands another base runner, but Miles Gosztola kept the Illini scoreless this inning.

2-1 Illinois after four innings. The Ducks strand one, and Miles Gosztola gave us another scoreless inning.

4-3 Ducks after five innings.

Ryan Cooney blasted a solo home run, and not much later--Naulivou Lauaki just tore into the pitch and sent it hitting the camera deck past the CF wall. This RS freshman has quite a swing to back up his 6'5" 265 pound frame that just shouts power.

Then, the Pride of Springfield, Maddox Molony made it back-to-back homers that his the camera deck as well! Oregon was facing a relief pitcher who had an ERA below 3.00 but today was not his day. Now a new Illini pitcher is in with an ERA below 3.00 as well.

Miles Gosztola gave up a solo dinger, and a walk to yield the hill to Leo Uelmen, who redshirted last year due to injury, but was an important part of the staff as a freshman in 2024. He is rounding into form, and got the last two outs of the inning.

6-4 Ducks after six innings. Things are getting lively with relief pitchers in as Brayden Jaksa walks to start, and then the Pride of Portland, Ryan Cooney blasts a 2-run dinger over the corner LF wall to put Our Beloved Ducks up three.

Leo Uelmen gave up a solo homer, and that was it for the inning.

10-4 Ducks after seven innings. Burke-Lee Mabeus starts it out with a walk, followed up by a Dominic Hellman line-drive hit to CF that moves Mabeus to third base. Jack Brooks walked, so now we have bases loaded with one out. A new Illini pitcher comes in with an impressive 2.16 ERA, and he's pitched a ton at 25 innings this season thus far.

Jax Gimenez shows no respect, as he gets under a curve/drop-ball pitch and nails it to center field, where it is bobbled. The speedy Gimenez makes it to third and scores three runs! Finally...an important timely hit with the Ducks-on-a-Pond!

A wild pitch scores Gimenez, but remember---with this wind and relief pitching--no lead is safe!

Holy Crap! Waz put in true freshman Cooper Markham to pitch? He is a highly heralded recruit from Washington, but he has seen little action this year. To put him in during such a crucial time...in this ball-park?

Then he goes out to create the only 1-2-3 inning of either team today!

11-4 Ducks after eight innings. Drew Smith beat out the throw from 3rd for an infield single, and Naulivou Lauaki nails a grounder to CF as Smith races to third. Maddox Molony grounds out, but scores Smith to add a run this inning.

Cooper Markham gave up a walk, but finished off the rest of the batters. If Illinois was going to make a comeback--the eight inning was crucial in scoring a few runs...but didn't. It increase our odds much better with three outs left.

Ducks win 11-5, as Tanner Bradley came in got two strikeouts, and then a walk. The next batter hit the pitch deep, and Jack Brooks caught it, but when he hit the wall--the ball came out to score an Illini run. Oh well...

Official game recap will be on this thread much later...