Pro Ducks return highlights Alumni game

EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon hosted its annual Alumni Game Saturday as the Ducks topped a team of 31 former Ducks, 11-4, at PK Park.

The Ducks totaled 11 hits throughout the game, including a three-run blast by A.J. Miller in the seventh inning. Oregon used eight different pitchers to hold the alumni to just five hits.

"We got a chance to play our alumni and have all those guys come back," head coach Mark Wasikowski said. "It was a really special weekend for everyone involved."

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The game not only gave Oregon a chance to get a look against an opposition for the second time this fall, but gave former Ducks an opportunity to return and be around former teammates and coaches as well as current players.

"I want to double the number of alumni every year if we can," Wasikowski said. "I want to have the alumni understand that we are trying to build a program with them."

One of the former Ducks that returned to Eugene for the game was New York Mets' reliever Stephen Nogosek. The second all-time leader in saves at Oregon made his Major League debut in June of this season.

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Nogosek split time between the big leagues and Triple-A in 2019. He appeared in seven games for the Mets and spent the rest of his season with the team's Triple-A affiliate the Syracuse Mets. With Syracuse, he posted a 1.15 ERA over 33.1 innings pitched.

"It was everything you ever dream of getting the call." Nogosek said. "I learned a lot and learned to just settle down and be myself. Not try to be someone else, and just do what got me there."

Ryon Healy is another former Duck who has made it to the major leagues and was back in Eugene for alumni weekend. The third-round draft pick in 2013 by the Oakland A's has played over three full seasons in the majors with the Oakland A's and the Seattle Mariners.

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"Obviously I've loved every moment of being in the bigs," Healy said. "But this program made me into the player I am today. It's really helped mold my career so I owe a lot to this program."

Six other alumni who returned for the game played professionally in 2019 including Jakob Goldfarb (Rookie Ball), Kyle Kasser (Class-A Advanced), Parker Kelly (Rookie), Jake Reed (Triple-A), Spencer Steer (Class-A) and Tim Susnara (Class-A Advanced). They will look to follow the path to the big leagues paved by the likes of Healy and Nogosek.

I like what I'm seeing so far," Healy said of the current team. "They're playing hard, they're playing fast and they are taking their opportunities. They look good."

The current Ducks will play two more games this fall, against the Okotoks Dawgs on Oct. 17 and Lane Community College on Oct. 18.

University of Oregon Athletics

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Jakob Goldfarb

Kyle Kasser

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A.J. Miller

Spencer Steer

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