Ducks Head To SoCal For 2010 Opener

THIS WEEK
    Oregon begins the 2010 season on a tough eight-game road stretch before the team returns to Eugene for its home opener. The Ducks, now beginning their second season since the UO baseball program was reinstated, start 2010 at Cal State Fullerton (7 p.m., Friday), at Long Beach State (5:30 p.m., Saturday), at Pepperdine (1 p.m., Sunday) and at Loyola Marymount (2 p.m., Monday).

RADIO BROADCASTS/MEDIA
    Over the radio airwaves, Brian Prawitz will provide the play-by-play on KSCR 1320 AM in the Eugene/Springfield area for all four games this weekend.
    The O-Zone will also offer a live audio feed of the radio broadcast for Duck fans out of the broadcast area. Duck fans in Portland will be able to listen to all four games as well:
Friday: Freedom 970 AM
Saturday: KUIK AM 1360
Saturday: THE GAME 95.5 FM
Sunday: KUIK AM 1360
    Live stats will be available for games at Cal State Fullerton, Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount on www.GoDucks.com.

O-ZONE: ONLINE VIDEO & AUDIO
        Baseball can now watch Oregon baseball home games live on the O-Zone at www.GoDucks.com. All home games will offer live video and audio.

TICKETS
     A reminder that season tickets and mini plans for the 2010 season remain on sale. Duck fans can purchase tickets online by clicking HERE, over the phone by calling 1-800-WEB-FOOT, or in person at the Casanova Center Ticket Office.
    Fans looking forward to the upcoming season will be able to select their seats while placing their orders as PK Park is nearing completion.

SEASON OPENERS
    Oregon is 17-14 on opening day since 1963. The Ducks, who played their first season in 2009 since the program was disbanded in 1981, won last year's opener on the road at Saint Mary's, 5-3.

QUICK HITS
•     Oregon welcomes back five position starters from the 2009 squad; Curtis Raulinaitis, Danny Pulfer, KC Serna, Mitch Karraker and Jett Hart.
•     The Duck pitching staff has 11 returners, including sophomore left-hander Tyler Anderson, who is expected to get the start at Cal State Fullerton on Friday night.
•     Oregon also welcomes 11 newcomers to the roster; eight freshmen and three juniors. Of that group, five position starters could potentially be in the opening-night lineup, while one pitcher, freshman lefty Christian Jones, is expected to start at Pepperdine on Sunday.
•     Expected to resume their starting roles from 2009 are KC Serna (SS), Danny Pulfer (2B), Eddie Rodriguez (C) and Curtis Raulinaitis (CF).
•     This weekend's trip to southern California will be a journey home for 13 Oregon Ducks that are from the region.

VS. CAL STATE FULLERTON
    Cal State Fullerton ended 2009 with 47-16 record, after departing the College World Series 0-2.
    The Titans enter 2010 with a No. 4 ranking or better from four preseason polls. This will be the first Div. I meeting between the two programs, although the Ducks did top the Titans, 12-1, on March 26, 1970 in Riverside, Calif.
    The Titans were picked to win the Big West Conference title in the annual coaches poll, while six members of the squad (Christian Colon, Daniel Renken, Noe Ramirez, Tyler Phil, Nick Ramirez and Gary Brown) were named a preseason All-American by at least one media outlet. Oregon was 0-2 last year against the Big West Conference, dropping two mid-week games to then #1 ranked UC Irvine on the road.

HORTON CONNECTIONS TO FULLERTON
    Oregon baseball coach George Horton returns to Goodwin Field for the first time in the visiting dugout. Horton spent 11 seasons as the head coach of the Titans after taking over for Augie Garrido in 1997. Horton finished his 11 seasons at CSF 490-212-1 (.698), leading the Titans to seven Big West titles, seven Regional titles, six Super Regional titles and a 2004 national championship. Horton was a five-time Big West Coach of the Year and a two-time National Coach of the Year in '03 and '04. Horton also played in the CSF pinstripes from 1975-76.

FAMILIAR OPPONENTS FOR HORTON
    Spending 11 seasons in southern California at the helm of Cal State Fullerton gave Horton several opportunities to become familiar with all four of the Ducks opponents this weekend - especially then conference rival Long Beach State. Horton holds a winning record against all three programs
Horton vs. Long Beach State: 40-32
Horton vs. Pepperdine: 14-11
Horton vs. Loyola Marymount: 13-7

HORTON CONNECTIONS
•    Oregon head coach George Horton has a 7-6 head-to-head advantage over current Cal State Fullerton head coach Dave Serrano. Before taking over for Horton at CSF, Serrano spearheaded the rise of UC Irvine from 2005-07. Serrano was also an assistant coach for Horton at CSF from 1997-2004.
•     Horton's last appearance in a Cal State Fullerton uniform came against Serrano's UC Irvine Anteaters at the 2007 College World Series. On June 18, Horton was ejected in the 13th inning of the Titans' 13th-inning, 5-4 loss to Serrano's Anteaters.
•    During Monday's game at Loyola Marymount, Horton will also reunite with Jason Gill. Currently the head coach at LMU, Gill was an assistant at Oregon when the program was initially reinstated before leaving to take the head coaching job at LMU.
    Gill was also an assistant coach for Horton at Cal State Fullerton for three years prior to making the move to Eugene.

VS. LONG BEACH STATE
    Long Beach State returns seven position starters from their 2009 team and returns 78% of the team's at-bats from last year. That experience is personified in three seniors, four juniors and three sophomores that saw time in over 30 games last year.
    The Dirtbags finished last year 25-29 overall and 11-13 (6th) in the Big West. The Long Beach State program holds eight conference titles - most recently in 2008, while making four College World Series appearances, two Super Regionals and 19 NCAA Regionals.

VS. PEPPERDINE
    Pepperdine returns to the diamond after a 31-23 effort in 2009. The Waves were 12-9 in the West Coast Conference, and finished 5-1 against teams from the Pac-10. This will be the first meeting between the Waves and Ducks.
    Sunday is expected to be a lefty-on-lefty matchup with Pepperdine's Robert Dickmann on the mound with Oregon starting true freshman Christian Jones.
    The Ducks were 4-6 against teams from the WCC last season: 0-3 vs. Portland, 1-2 vs. Saint Mary's and 3-1 vs. Santa Clara.

VS. LOYOLA MARYMOUNT
    Loyola Marymount opens the season with a three-game series against UC Irvine. Last season the Lions, led by former Oregon assistant coach Jason Gill, finished second place in the WCC after posting a 30-29 overall record and a 13-8 mark in conference play.

ANDERSON IN SEASON OPENER
    On Friday night when sophomore left-hander Tyler Anderson takes the mound at Cal State Fullerton, it will mark the second consecutive season the Las Vegas native has made the start in the season opener.
    Last year on Feb. 20 in the season opener at Saint Mary's, Anderson tossed 5 and 2/3 innings to earn his first collegiate win, holding the Gaels to three runs (two earned) in the Ducks 5-3 victory.

SCHEDULE NOTES
•    Oregon opens 2010 on an eight-game road trip to southern California and Hawaii.
    “We will know a lot about ourselves when we get back from this road trip,” head coach George Horton said. It serves its purpose in that it's a good way to start the season – to reevaluate roles, see what we need to improve on and see what we are good at. You certainly want to be successful in preseason games, but you want to have a legitimate test. Make no mistake about it, we'll no if we are any good after the first eight games.”
•    The Ducks will play 12 of their first 14 games on the road. UO hosts Washington for two non-conference games, Tuesday-Wednesday, March 2-3, to open PK Park.
•    Six opponents (CSF, USD, STAN, OSU, UCLA, ASU) on Oregon's 2010 schedule are currently ranked in at least one preseason national poll.
•    Oregon's longest home stretch of the season is nine games from Friday, March 12-Tuesday, March 23 as Seattle, Nevada and Southern Utah travel to Eugene.
•    Believe it or not, UO's eight-game road trip to start the season is one of two on the year. Oregon will play eight-straight road games from Friday, April 9-Wednesday, April 21, traveling to Stanford, UCLA and Gonzaga.
•    After Oregon's April 18 game at UCLA, the Ducks will play in the Northwest the remainder of the season playing 15 contests at PK park while traveling to Gonzaga, Oregon State, Portland and Washington.

SEASON PREVIEW
PITCHING
    “I think that our pitching could again be the strength of our team,” head coach George Horton said about his second year squad. “We are very encouraged of the quality and depth coach Checketts has developed. The good news is there are some interchangeable parts.”
    Most of the preseason will be four-game series, and Horton is expecting his starting rotation to be sophomore left-hander Tyler Anderson, senior right-hander Justin LaTempa, freshman lefty Christian Jones and sophomore right-hander Scott McGough. Senior Zack Thornton and sophomore Alex Keudell are expected to be in that mix as well.
    Anderson is the only returning starter from last season's starting rotation as Erik Stavert was drafted in the seventh round of the 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, and the Ducks used several different arms in the third spot of the rotation.
    LaTempa is 100 percent healthy for the first time in two years after undergoing offseason surgery and has already cemented himself in the rotation.
    Jones led the East Bay Athletic League in strikeouts (112), ERA (.66) and wins (8) in 74 innings pitched his senior year at Monte Vista High School. McGough was mainly used as a reliever last year, but returned to Eugene after a very successful summer in the Northwoods League.
    “Tyler was awful good last year and ahead of the learning curve, and I think McGough now realizes how special he is,” Horton said. “Scott seems to be really settled down. Christian Jones has passed every test so far, and we think he is very tough mentally. The real neat story is Justin LaTempa who hasn't pitched in two years. He has been ridiculously good.”
    Expected to come out the bullpen is sophomore Madison Boer as well as seniors Ryan Fleckenstein and Geoff Nichols. Freshman Ryan Hambright, expected to start at first base, is also an arm the Ducks have been impressed with on the mound.
    Drew Gagnier, who returned to the UO after being drafted in the 14th round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the Oakland A's, will resume his role as a closer. Gagnier was recently named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Preseason Stopper of the Year Watch List.

HEALTHY HOUSEY, LATEMPA, THORNTON
    Last year the strength of Oregon's roster was its pitching staff, and that was with three pitchers; Joey Housey, Zack Thornton and Justin LaTempa all battling injuries. Both Thornton and LaTempa are back to 100 percent, while Housey is nearing that goal after surgery last spring.
    “Joey Housey has rebounded tremendously from his surgery and his stuff has been electric,” Horton said. “We are all encouraged with him. Is he ready yet? Probably not, but he's getting very close to bringing some quality innings to our staff.”

INFIELD
    Similar to last season, the Ducks have tried several bodies at first base, but beginning to emerge from the pack and expected to start on Friday at Cal State Fullerton is true freshman Ryan Hambright. The Corona, Calif., native was named to the CIF Southern Section Division I Second Team as a senior at Temescal Canyon High School in 2009.
    “Ryan has shown great instincts and defensive capabilities, ” Horton said. “He also is a left-handed hitter that our lineup will need. Ryan has probably made the biggest leap out of everybody on the roster from the fall to the spring – both as a pitcher and a position player.”
    Backing up Hambright at first base will be redshirt junior Shawn Peterson and sophomore Sean Potkay.
    At second base, second-year starter Danny Pulfer will make the move back after ending 2009 starting on the hot corner. Backing up Pulfer will be freshmen Jack Marder and J.J. Altobelli.
    KC Serna will return as the Ducks starting shortstop and make the move to leadoff in the lineup.
    “Danny has really improved from year one to year two, and we are very encouraged with his progress and leadership,” Horton said. “We are very pleased with KC's progress as well. He's progressed in all phases of the game; the understanding of the game, our system, showing better consistency in his work ethic and interaction with coaches and team. We think he potentially has the chance to be one of the best shortstops in the country.”
    At third, Oregon will go a second straight season with a true freshman on the hot corner as J.J. Altobelli is expected to fill the role.
    “J.J. has been everything we thought he would be,” Horton said. “He's an advanced mentality kid because he comes from a baseball family. Every good team I have been around in college has had a really good defensive third baseman, and J.J. brings that potential to us.”
    Backing up Altobelli will be sophomore Dylan Gavin and potentially Marder.

OUTFIELD
    Probably the deepest position on the field, Oregon is expected to start Jack Marder (RF), Curtis Raulinaitis (CF) and Marcus Piazzisi (LF) on Friday night, but the Ducks have several players who are capable of filling starting roles.
    “Curtis was our most complete player last year,” Horton said. “He's a guy that can easily build on his first-year in Division I baseball. Piazzisi is one of our hardest working kids. He's confident and he plays the game with a spark and swagger.”
    Also included in that depth chart are freshmen Andrew Mendenhall, Steven Packard and senior Jett Hart.
    “Mendenhall is a superior athlete that has a chance to be a star,” Horton said. “He's consisitency away from being a very good Division I player. Packard is one of our most improved players. Every week that's gone by he's gotten bigger, stronger and better. We think he is one of our real bright spots in the future of this program. He had a setback when he rolled his ankle, but hopefully that won't be lingering. It's going to be tough to keep Steven out of the lineup.
    “Jett was told he was on the bubble and fighting to stay on the roster, and Jett's done the perfect thing – he's just played extremely well since we've come back from the fall. He's great defensively and easily our best base runner.”

CATCHER
    Last year Oregon's lineup took a big hit when starting catcher Eddie Rodriguez sustained a knee injury less than a month into the season. Now back healthy again, Rodriguez has regained his starting role and will be backed up by Mitch Karraker, Paul Eshleman and Taylor Ausbun.
    “There are some people who would say that when we lost Eddie last year we took a tailspin,” Horton said. “Eddie provides an offensive spark and a defensive spark, and I'm tickled to death that he's back and healthy.”

DESIGNTED HITTER
    The three leading candidates for the DH spot are freshman Jack Marder, junior Stephen Kaupang and freshman Steven Packard - all three of which have battled injuries this year. Mitch Karraker has had a good spring swinging the bat, and will provide a quality left-handed bat for the Ducks. Freshman Nick Wagner is also in the mix.

GAGNIER ON STOPPER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST
    Oregon junior right-hander Drew Gagnier was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Preseason Stopper of the Year Watch List.
    Gagnier is one of 40 collegiate baseball players that have been named to the initial watch list for the sixth annual NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award, given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball.
    The Santa Cruz, Calif., native was named Pac-10 Honorable Mention last season, and was drafted in the 14th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Oakland Athletics, but chose to return to the University of Oregon for 2010.
    The Ducks main closer in 2009, Gagnier appeared in 23 games and finished the year with a 2.70 ERA, a 1-0 record and 30 strikeouts in 30 innings pitched. He finished the year with seven saves, tying for sixth in the Pac-10.

TOP-25 RECRUITING
    Oregon inked 12 players during the early signing period, and each signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the U of O for the 2010-11 academic year. All 12 newcomers are currently in their senior year of high school.
    This is Oregon's third recruiting class since the reinstatement of the UO baseball program, and if history repeats itself, the 2010 graduating class should garner national honors like its predecessors.
    Of Oregon's 12 signees, six rank among the top-200 high school prospects for 2010, including three of the country's top-50 ranked prospects, according to PerfectGame Crosschecker.
    For two consecutive years, Oregon's recruiting classes have earned top-25 accolades. The Ducks' 2009 class, brought in for the program's first season in 28 years, was ranked No. 2 in the nation by Collegiate Baseball's annual evaluation, and was also ranked 10th in the nation by Baseball America's evaluation.
    The Ducks' second class received the No. 24 ranking in the nation from Baseball America earlier this fall.

CIVIL WAR CLASSIC
    Tickets are also currently on sale for The Civil War Classic presented by RBC Wealth Management. First pitch is set 6:30 p.m. from PGE Park in Portland on Wednesday, May 26.
    Tickets, which range in price from $5-$35, are available at www.ticketmaster.com, and all Ticketmaster locations.

PK PARK
    Oregon's newest facility is scheduled to host its first game on Tuesday, March 2 with Washington in town for a non-conference match up. PK Park is designed around a single, open concourse that provides incredible views to the entire playing field.
    “We have designed PK Park with all the features and amenities necessary to help the University of Oregon baseball program quickly establish itself as a regular on the 'Road to Omaha'. The Ducks' passionate fans will find their new ballpark to be one of the best places in the country to cheer on their favorite team,” said Greg Garlock, Designer and Principal with DLR Group.
    PK Park has a total capacity of 4,000, including 3,000 fixed seats, a tiered party plaza named “Fowl Territory”, a picnic plaza and eight upper level suites.