At Oregon? Ducks Have One of the TOP Offenses in the Nation!

[Charles Fischer]

I know everyone is saying that these stats are padded from some of our opponents....but we did not do this in the past!  Others say, "wait for the Pac-12 Season, and watch those stats plummet!"

 

Oregon took two of three at Stanford last weekend, who was voted by the coaches as the Preseason BEST team in the conference.  The Ducks averaged nearly nine runs per game against a Cardinal staff that had an incredibly low ERA going into the series.

 

The Ducks were a good hitting team last year, and have continued that trend--even with the graduation of Aaron Zavala, and Gabe Matthews (and others!) thus good coaching in the batter box is happening.  (No, it is extraordinary coaching taking place)

 

The pitchers are improving, and if they can keep us in the games, our bats can win them.  Utah won two of three off of Washington last week, so the Ducks have a challenge!

 

 

                 This is the prowess you want...

 

[Charles Fischer]

More about some of the players!  Over .500 in On-Base-Percentage?  Whew!

 

Step up in Competition Doesn't Slow Cowley

• After spending three seasons at Division II Cal Poly Pomona, JR INF Drew Cowley made the move to Division I this season.
• Playing both third base and second base, Cowley is off to a blistering start batting .467 (21-for-45) with the nation's 13th-best OBP (.571).
• He also ranks 16th nationally in batting average, and 35th in slugging percentage (.822).
• In addition to batting average and on-base percentage, he leads the team in slugging percentage and base on balls (9), while ranking second in doubles (5).
• In the Pac-12, Cowley leads the league in two of the three slash categories (AVG/OBP), while ranking second in slugging percentage and 10th in RBI and home runs.

 
It's HOT in the Shade

• After battling injuries early in the season as a true freshman, SO OF Colby Shade is healthy and producing for the Ducks in 2022.
• The Ducks' centerfield produced in a big way in the St. John's series, batting a team-best .667 (8-for-12) with a home run, three doubles, nine RBI and nine runs.
• He added four walks and three HBPs to finish with a .789 on-base percentage while slugging 1.167.
• He also reached base in 13 straight plate appearances during the series.
• For the season, Shade is tied for the team lead in RBI (17) and stolen bases (4), while ranking second on the team batting .429 (21-of-49), runs scored (18), OBP (.525) and slugging percentage (.694).
• In the Pac-12, Shade ranks fourth in batting average, RBI and OBP, while ranking sixth in slugging percentage and seventh in runs scored.
• Nationally, Shade is 51st in the country in batting average, 62nd in on-base percentage and slugging percentage.

Somers Named Preseason All-America

 

Coming off a season where he claimed NCBWA third-team All-America honors, SR LHP Kolby Somers has been named preseason third-team All-America by both Collegiate Baseball and D1Baseball.
A senior from Hillsboro, Ore., Somers claimed first-team All-Pac-12 Conference honors in addition to NCBWA All-America honors last season.
He was dominant closing out games for the Ducks in 2021.
The lefty finished the season with a 2-2 record and a 3.08 ERA with 11 saves.
He fanned 37 in 26.1 innings pitched while holding opposing hitters to a .149 batting average.
He ranked third in the Pac-12 in saves, as well as ranking sixth all-time in single-season saves at Oregon.
His seven saves in conference games were the second most in the league, one behind the leader.

[Charles Fischer]