EUGENE, Ore. — With an early Friday start to avoid the rain, it was a sunny day at PK Park as No. 21 Oregon baseball opened a three-game series against No. 18 Nebraska. The Ducks entered the matchup looking to bounce back after a 13-9 loss to Portland earlier in the week. After a weather delay, the Ducks defeated the Cornhuskers 7-6.
Will Sanford got the start on the mound but ran into trouble early, allowing a leadoff double to Mac Moyer, who later came around to score and give Nebraska a 1-0 lead. Oregon was unable to respond in the bottom of the first.
“My job is to set the tone, and even through adversity, I want to keep competing the way I did,” said Sanford.
Nebraska threatened again in the second, opening the inning with a single and a walk. Sanford settled in, however, striking out the final two batters of the inning to escape further damage.
In the bottom half, Oregon showed patience at the plate with back-to-back walks, prompting a quick mound visit from Nebraska. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position, but the Ducks couldn’t capitalize, remaining scoreless through two innings as Nebraska held onto the early lead.
With runners on first and second, the Ducks turned a key double play to avoid a bases-loaded situation, then followed it with a strikeout to end the inning. Nebraska later threatened with a runner on third but came away empty, closing out another scoreless frame.
Nebraska answered in the bottom half with a double play of its own. Brayden Jaksa lined out, and Jax Gimenez was doubled off after failing to get back to first in time. A groundout from Ryan Cooney quickly ended the inning, keeping Nebraska in front.
Oregon found its rhythm in the fourth. Sanford delivered a perfect inning, striking out all three batters he faced. The Ducks capitalized at the plate as designated hitter Naulivou Lauaki Jr. drove in Drew Smith and Burke-Lee Mabeus with a double to left-center, giving Oregon a 2-1 lead. A balk moved runners into scoring position again, but the Ducks couldn’t add on, ending the inning with a one-run advantage.
“He’s had one of the loudest prep work,” said head coach Mark Wasikowski on Lauaki Jr. “It went from good to really good, and then it was like, how are we going to get him in the lineup? He still doesn’t look totally comfortable yet, but you can see the results.”
“I knew my capability from the get-go, that's what brought me here. I was just waiting for my chance,” said Lauaki.
Nebraska didn’t let Oregon hold the lead for long, as the leadoff batter in the fifth launched a solo home run to tie the game. Sanford responded well, striking out two batters and limiting further damage. He finished with a career-high 12 strikeouts before being relieved by Tanner Bradley.
“Metrically, I know he’s got one of the best fastballs in the country,” said Wasikowski on Sanford.
In the bottom half, Nebraska turned to Tucker Timmerman out of the bullpen to replace Ty Horn, but the move didn’t slow Oregon’s momentum. Drew Smith crushed a two-run home run to left field, putting the Ducks back on top. Maddox Molony followed with a double to the fence, and Angel Laya advanced to third, but Oregon couldn’t capitalize further, as the inning ended on a flyout and a runner thrown out at home.
After an hour and 42-minute weather delay, the game resumed in the bottom of the sixth.
“We just went over the first half of the game and debriefed everything. I think that kept us all engaged,” said Smith.
When play restarted, Gimenez doubled down the right-field line and later scored on Jaksa’s two-run home run. Following Jaksa, Cooney blasted a home run for back-to-back shots, extending Oregon’s lead to 7-2 by the end of the inning.
With Blake Crawford on the mound replacing Bradley, Nebraska responded with a two-run home run as Dylan Carey blasted a ball to left field. Leo Uelmen then came out of the bullpen to replace Crawford, marking Oregon’s third pitcher in less than two innings.
Following a throwing error, a runner reached first and later advanced to second on a wild pitch. After a single by Jett Buck, Preston Freeman scored to cut the deficit to two. Another pitching change brought in Devin Bell, but Nebraska added one more run.
A rundown at second quickly turned into an out at home, as Molony reacted quickly and fired to the plate to record the out. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth, relief pitcher Kevin Mannell worked out of the jam by striking out Smith, sending the game into the ninth with Oregon narrowly leading 7-6.
The Ducks secured the final three outs at the top of the ninth without allowing another run, sealing the 7-6 victory.
“My coaches and I didn’t believe we handled rain delays very successfully last year. We really tried to make that adjustment, so I was pleased with the way they came out,” said Wasikowski.
Oregon will play Game 2 of the series on Saturday, April 11, at 12:05 p.m. at PK Park.