By Mario Ponce

EUGENE, Ore. – The Oregon Ducks baseball team (11-4) will host the Portland Pilots (8-5) today in preparation for a weekend series against Cal. The Ducks come into the game with a solid record so far this year.

Oregon Ducks:

The Ducks have enjoyed a very good season so far, losing only one of the series they’ve played. Last week they won four out of five games in Arizona, winning both against the Grand Canyon University Antelopes and only losing one to the Arizona State Sun Devils in their first conference games in 2024. The Ducks recovered well in the Copper State after losing the home series to the UCSB Gauchos. On the offensive side of the ball, Jeffrey Heard and Carter Garate lead the team, with 24 and 18 hits, respectively. They’ve combined for 20 RBIs so far this year. On pitching, RJ Gordon is the starter with the lowest ERA at 3.98; he has pitched 20.1 innings and struck out 16 batters. The Ducks hope these players will continue to perform and lead them to victory.

Portland Pilots:

The Pilots have enjoyed a quietly successful start to 2024 with eight wins, but they haven’t played a single game at home yet. This matchup against the Ducks will be their first in the Beaver State before a home series over the weekend against the Maryland Terrapins. They lost their previous series 2-1 against the Creighton Bluejays in Omaha, Nebraska. In the batter’s box, their best performer is Jake Holcroft, with a .328 average and 19 hits. On the mound, their best performer is Nick Brink with a 4.50 ERA. The Pilots will need them against a strong Oregon team.

Prediction:

This will be a competitive game, but I expect the Ducks to come out on top. The Pilots have played well so far and had good performances against fellow Pac-12 team USC Trojans, but I think the hosts have an edge. My prediction is 7-3 Oregon.