EUGENE, Ore. — On a rainy Sunday, the Oregon Ducks baseball team was ready to take the series win against the Youngstown State Penguins as they reached their final game of the four-game series. The Ducks had beaten the Penguins 18-1 in the first game and shut them out in the previous two, hoping to do the same in the finale. The Ducks prevailed and won the game 14-5 and all four games in the series to shut the Penguins out.
The top of the first began with the Penguins’ leadoff batter, Alex Jang, getting hit by a pitch, but catcher Brayden Jaksa recovered by throwing to Maddox Molony to catch Jang attempting to steal second. Starting pitcher Cal Scolari walked the next batter but then picked him off at first in a controversial call that was challenged and confirmed. A strikeout ended Youngstown State’s half of the inning with no hits or runs.
Oregon secured an early lead. Gabe Miranda, who hit his first home run as a Duck in their previous game against the Penguins, came to the plate with runners on first and third. His hit to right field allowed Ryan Cooney to run home to score the first run for the Ducks. With two runners on base, Drew Smith launched a ball to left field for a three-run home run, and the inning ended with the Ducks in the lead 4-0.
“I had no idea. I know I hit it decent, so I was just trying to get to second in case he dropped it or something,” Smith said when asked about his home run.
The Penguins responded quickly as Brayden Kuriger hit a home run to get Youngstown State on the board. After walking two batters in a row, Scolari found his footing and struck out Nathan Beckley. A fielder's choice got an out at second, but a throwing error at first allowed Jay Wrona to score for the Penguins as runners advanced. With another strikeout, the top of the second ended 4-2.
With a new pitcher for the Penguins on the mound and back at the top of the lineup, Cooney reached first on a fielding error made by the third baseman. Center fielder Kendal Spencer misplayed a ground ball that rolled to the fence, allowing Jax Gimenez to triple with Cooney scoring yet another run for the Ducks. After an RBI from Dominic Hellman, Gimenez also scored a run with the inning ending 6-2.
Angel Laya doubled to the third baseman and advanced to third on a wild pitch. On a groundout by Jaksa, Laya scored another run for Oregon with a score of 7-2.
Ryan Featherston relieved Scolari in the top of the fifth and struck out two batters in a one-two-three inning.
With Molony on first, Smith doubled to center field, and Molony rushed home to score the Ducks’ eighth run. Laya followed with a single to right field, allowing Smith to score. Laya was later caught in a rundown between first and second, giving the Penguins their first out of the inning. After a wild pitch, Jaksa scored, and Brooks followed after Cooney doubled to right-center field. The Ducks reached double digits as Youngstown State put in its fourth pitcher, Luke Zmolik. Following a passed ball and wild pitch, Cooney scored his third run. With five runs scored in the fifth inning, Oregon led by ten.
With the Ducks back at the plate and another pitcher in for the Penguins in the sixth inning, Laya and Jaksa hit back-to-back singles, and Owen Morgan and Molony scored two more runs for the Ducks.
Hudson Carvalho relieved Featherston in the top of the seventh, but with the bases loaded, Carvalho was replaced by Michael Meckna in hopes of recording the final out. Chyran Humphries singled up the middle, allowing two runners to score for the Penguins. Another single up the middle brought Misael Uriepero home for Youngstown State’s final run of the inning, while James Carlson was thrown out at third for the last out.
Youngstown State brought in its seventh pitcher in the eighth inning, Sumner Estes, who walked Jaksa. Jaksa later scored after Cooney reached on a fielding error and advanced to second on the misplay, extending Oregon’s lead to 15-5.
Oregon turned to its fifth pitcher, Luke Morgan, to close out the game as the Penguins battled to complete all nine innings. Spencer doubled down the right-field line and advanced to third on a passed ball. Jang singled to right, allowing Spencer to score, but it was not enough, as a strikeout ended the game with Oregon winning 15-6.
With the continuous rain throughout the game, the Ducks had to battle the elements in order to secure the win.
“Throughout the fall, it's been raining, and you know, we take pride in playing baseball on those wet days,” Jaksa said about the weather. “We came out there and were just ready to play, and we had fun doing it.”
The Ducks are currently 8-0 in the season. When asked about their success, head coach Mark Wasikowski said, “We’ve been very solid on the mound, specifically, I think our defense is really good, well-rounded baseball, and I think that’s why our record is good.”
The Ducks will play on the road next weekend at the Las Vegas College Baseball Classic from February 27 to March 1. “We’re just looking forward to playing against good teams in Las Vegas,” Wasikowski said. “It’s a good tournament, so we’re looking forward to getting in there and playing well.”
They will return to PK Park on Tuesday, March 3, to face their rivals, the Oregon State Beavers.