Ducks Bring Win Streak Into Weekend

Wednesday, April 26

Eugene, Ore.

5:05 PM

University of Oregon

28-12

Gonzaga

14-24

Gonzaga

Oregon

Photo by: Rob Moseley/GoDucks.com

04/26/23 | Baseball

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Oregon will host Arizona State in a battle of ranked teams this weekend, and brings in a three-game win streak after Wednesday's win over Gonzaga.

By: Rob Moseley

EUGENE, Ore. — A monumental series beckons for the Oregon baseball team, and the Ducks will take a three-game winning streak into the weekend after completing a two-game midweek sweep of Gonzaga on Wednesday at PK Park, 10-5.

The No. 20 Ducks (28-12) are tied for third in the Pac-12 at 11-7, 2.5 games behind first-place Arizona State, which will be in Eugene this weekend for a series with significant implications on the conference race. Oregon brings momentum into the showdown after two come-from-behind wins over Gonzaga, with UO head coach Mark Wasikowski's team scoring seven runs from the fifth inning on Wednesday to overcome an early 3-2 deficit.

"Coach Waz (brought) in a blue-collar mentality, and late in the game that's when you need it, especially when you're not going great," said UO outfielder Bryce Boettcher, who reached three times and stole a career-high-tying three bases Wednesday. "Instead of rolling over, our team does a good job of rallying together. … I think it goes back to that white T-shirt, blue-collar mentality that was instilled in us, and that's what helps us."

Senior second baseman Gavin Grant was 3-for-3 with a career-high-tying four RBIs, and the Ducks continued to get breakout performances from young players in spot appearances. Freshman Turner Spoljaric (4-0) bounced back from allowing a three-run homer in the first to throw four more scoreless innings, and freshman infielder Drew Smith hit his first career homer in his sixth appearance of the season.

"It's without a doubt no surprise — those guys are some of our best players, and they'd be starting anywhere else," Grant said. "It just happens to be that we have a lot of talent here, with a lot of great dudes. (But) those guys are gonna get their chances here in the season. And they're going to be the face of the program here in a few years."

How It Happened: With one out in the top of the first, Spoljaric walked consecutive batters and then surrendered a three-run homer. But after allowing a single immediately after the homer, Spoljaric retired the next nine in a row. The only other hit he allowed was a double in the fourth to break up that streak of nine outs in a row, and he pitched around a walk in the fifth.

"I think in the first inning, I was kind of trying to be a little bit too nit-picky and be too precise and fine," Spoljaric said. "And I came out in the second and told myself, I'm just gonna let these guys get themselves out. We have a really great defense. ... So I just went out and tried to pitch to contact and be aggressive instead of being fine."

The Ducks used some two-out magic in the second to close the gap. UO senior Tanner Smith led off the inning with a single, and he was still on first base after two strikeouts. But Smith stole second, Boettcher walked and the two executed a double steal before scoring on Grant's first hit of the day.

After Spoljaric got through the fifth, Boettcher and Grant walked to open the bottom of the inning. Rikuu Nishida executed a squeeze play to plate Boettcher with the tying run, and Smith followed with an RBI single to give the Ducks a 4-3 lead. Smith was making his second career start and his first in the field, at third base.

"It's awesome, just being with my guys and being in that moment," Smith said. "It's really nice, and you know, they push me every day in practice. So it's no surprise to see those spots (in games), because we see those spots in practice every day."

Grant made it 5-3 with an RBI single in the sixth. In the seventh, Smith came up again and blasted his first career homer to center field. The Ducks blew the game open in the eighth, when Josiah Cromwick homered with one out, Boettcher doubled and scored on a single by Grant, a wild pitch brought Grant home and Smith grounded out to plate Rishida for his third RBI of the game.

Notable: Wasikowski has won 199 games as a head coach entering the Arizona State series. … Tanner Smith's two stolen bases gave him 29 in his career, sixth on the UO career list. … Smith's ninth-inning outfield assist was the 13th of his career, tied for first in UO history with Jakob Goldfarb (2015-19). … Nishida stole his 18th base of the season, tied for the UO single-season record with Don Banderas in 1965. … Oregon football coach Dan Lanning threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Quotable:
UO coach Mark Wasikowski on the job Oregon's bench players have done staying ready
"It's really easy when you're playing — and playing every single day — to stay in rhythm and get in a rhythm. But then what about those guys that aren't playing every single day and seeing those live pitches come at you and all that? It's tough. It takes a lot of mental toughness, and the guys that can do it are really special."

UO coach Mark Wasikowski on Oregon's performance against the Gonzaga pitching staff
"They threw a lot of different guys and different looks at us, and I thought our guys handled it really well. To be able to score the runs and put the run totals up that we did the last few days, I thought they were really quality arms that we saw. To be able to break them down, I was impressed with what Coach Marder's game plan had, and the guys executed it."

Up Next: The Ducks open their series with Arizona State at PK Park on Friday at 5 p.m.