Wednesday, March 11
Eugene, Ore.
3:05 p.m.
University of Oregon
14-3
6
vs
3
Xavier
5-13
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Xavier
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
2
0
3
9
1
Oregon
0
1
0
0
0
0
5
0
X
6
8
0
Photo by: Rob Moseley/GoDucks.com
Pinch-Hit Homer Sparks Ducks To Victory
03/11/26 | Baseball
Burke-Lee Mabeus had the hit off the bench that keyed a five-run rally in the seventh Wednesday as Oregon beat Xavier.
EUGENE, Ore. — For six innings Wednesday, the tension built. It exploded in the seventh, and Burke-Lee Mabeus was the detonator.
Playing off the bench Wednesday, Mabeus hit a pinch homer in the seventh that broke a scoreless tie, electrified both dugouts and provided a jolt of energy that permeated the rest of the game before Oregon hung on for a 6-3 win over Xavier at PK Park. The Musketeers had the tying run at the plate in the ninth, but the Ducks pulled it out thanks to a five-run seventh inning sparked by the homer from Mabeus.
"We were able to tack on some runs right there, which was really important — was the difference in the ball game," UO coach Mark Wasikowski said.
Mabeus pulled his pinch homer to right field, which got both teams chirping at each other on the field and from the dugouts. Once order was restored, the Ducks rallied for four more runs, riding the surge of momentum provided by Mabeus' clutch hit.
"I didn't think it was gone off the bat," Mabeus said. "I had been sitting down for a little bit, and I was thinking, like, hopefully my legs are ready to leg out a double. And then it got over the wall, and I was relieved that I could slow down a little bit."
Oregon's seventh-inning rally made a winner of reliever Ryan Featherston (3-0), one of five UO arms to appear out of the bullpen following the first start in nearly three years by right-hander Leo Uelmen. The Ducks (14-3) will take a three-game win streak into their Big Ten home opener Friday against Indiana.
"Really excited to be in Eugene, but it starts with taking care of a good practice Thursday, making sure the team's right, spending quality time together and making sure we take care of business Friday," Mabeus said. "And we'll go from there."
How It Happened: Uelmen made his first start since May 5, 2023, and pitched into the third while allowing one run. He benefitted from two double plays — left fielder Josh Schleichardt had a memorable first start, catching a flyball in the first and then throwing out a runner at home, and shortstop Maddox Molony snared a line drive before diving to beat a runner back to second base to end the second.
Uelmen left with two on and two out in the third.
"Good story," Wasikowski said. "He's a worker. He's a great kid, a really good human being. And you know, his stuff now is better than it's ever been."
One of those inherited runners came around to score, but that only tied the game after Oregon had scored in the bottom of the second. Gabe Miranda singled to lead off that inning for the Ducks, and later scored from second on a base hit by Naulivou Lauaki, who was also making his first career start.
The game remained tied into the seventh, when Mabeus entered as a pinch hitter and untied it. He said UO assistant coach Jack Marder gave him a scouting report on the Xavier pitcher before he stepped into the box.
"When we get those rundowns, I've got full faith and trust in those, and so, yeah, I knew what I was getting," Mabeus said. "I was just looking for a ball over the plate, hunting a fastball there, and I was able to get my pitch."
Oregon's dugout exploded in jubilation, and Xavier's did so in frustration. When things calmed down, Schleichardt was hit by a pitch, Ryan Cooney singled and Jax Gimenez walked to load the bases. Dominic Hellman promptly unloaded them with a three-run double, before scoring on a Miranda double that made it 6-1.
"Basically it was just keeping what I was doing the same," Hellman said of his approach in that at-bat after being 0-for-3 up to that point. "I mean, obviously I didn't have a great day at the plate before the double, and it was just knowing what I did well throughout the day and knowing how they can possibly pitch me."
The Musketeers responded with a two-run homer in the eighth. In the ninth, a leadoff walk drew Oregon closer Devin Bell from the bullpen, and he promptly coaxed a double play.
"As soon as I came out of the pen, I talked to Maddox and told him, be ready for the ball," Bell said. "I wasn't looking for strikeouts. I was looking to get the ball in play, turn a double play there. That's what happened."
The next two batters reached, but Bell stranded both runners in scoring position with a strikeout to end the game.
Up Next: The Ducks open a three-game series against visiting Indiana on Friday (4 p.m., B1G+).
Playing off the bench Wednesday, Mabeus hit a pinch homer in the seventh that broke a scoreless tie, electrified both dugouts and provided a jolt of energy that permeated the rest of the game before Oregon hung on for a 6-3 win over Xavier at PK Park. The Musketeers had the tying run at the plate in the ninth, but the Ducks pulled it out thanks to a five-run seventh inning sparked by the homer from Mabeus.
"We were able to tack on some runs right there, which was really important — was the difference in the ball game," UO coach Mark Wasikowski said.
Mabeus pulled his pinch homer to right field, which got both teams chirping at each other on the field and from the dugouts. Once order was restored, the Ducks rallied for four more runs, riding the surge of momentum provided by Mabeus' clutch hit.
"I didn't think it was gone off the bat," Mabeus said. "I had been sitting down for a little bit, and I was thinking, like, hopefully my legs are ready to leg out a double. And then it got over the wall, and I was relieved that I could slow down a little bit."
Oregon's seventh-inning rally made a winner of reliever Ryan Featherston (3-0), one of five UO arms to appear out of the bullpen following the first start in nearly three years by right-hander Leo Uelmen. The Ducks (14-3) will take a three-game win streak into their Big Ten home opener Friday against Indiana.
"Really excited to be in Eugene, but it starts with taking care of a good practice Thursday, making sure the team's right, spending quality time together and making sure we take care of business Friday," Mabeus said. "And we'll go from there."
How It Happened: Uelmen made his first start since May 5, 2023, and pitched into the third while allowing one run. He benefitted from two double plays — left fielder Josh Schleichardt had a memorable first start, catching a flyball in the first and then throwing out a runner at home, and shortstop Maddox Molony snared a line drive before diving to beat a runner back to second base to end the second.
Uelmen left with two on and two out in the third.
"Good story," Wasikowski said. "He's a worker. He's a great kid, a really good human being. And you know, his stuff now is better than it's ever been."
One of those inherited runners came around to score, but that only tied the game after Oregon had scored in the bottom of the second. Gabe Miranda singled to lead off that inning for the Ducks, and later scored from second on a base hit by Naulivou Lauaki, who was also making his first career start.
The game remained tied into the seventh, when Mabeus entered as a pinch hitter and untied it. He said UO assistant coach Jack Marder gave him a scouting report on the Xavier pitcher before he stepped into the box.
"When we get those rundowns, I've got full faith and trust in those, and so, yeah, I knew what I was getting," Mabeus said. "I was just looking for a ball over the plate, hunting a fastball there, and I was able to get my pitch."
Oregon's dugout exploded in jubilation, and Xavier's did so in frustration. When things calmed down, Schleichardt was hit by a pitch, Ryan Cooney singled and Jax Gimenez walked to load the bases. Dominic Hellman promptly unloaded them with a three-run double, before scoring on a Miranda double that made it 6-1.
"Basically it was just keeping what I was doing the same," Hellman said of his approach in that at-bat after being 0-for-3 up to that point. "I mean, obviously I didn't have a great day at the plate before the double, and it was just knowing what I did well throughout the day and knowing how they can possibly pitch me."
The Musketeers responded with a two-run homer in the eighth. In the ninth, a leadoff walk drew Oregon closer Devin Bell from the bullpen, and he promptly coaxed a double play.
"As soon as I came out of the pen, I talked to Maddox and told him, be ready for the ball," Bell said. "I wasn't looking for strikeouts. I was looking to get the ball in play, turn a double play there. That's what happened."
The next two batters reached, but Bell stranded both runners in scoring position with a strikeout to end the game.
Up Next: The Ducks open a three-game series against visiting Indiana on Friday (4 p.m., B1G+).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Featherston, Ryan (3-0)
L: Owen Poole (0-2)
S: Bell, Devin (3)
Batting:
2B: Eddie Peters 1 ; JD Crisp 1 ; Jorge Valdes 1
HR: Josh Stonehouse 1
RBI: Josh Stonehouse 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Josh Stonehouse 1 ; Luke Hammond 1 ; Jorge Valdes 1
SB: JD Crisp 1
CS: Donavan Canterberry 1
HBP: Luke Hammond 1
PO: JD Crisp 1
Batting:
2B: Hellman, Dominic 1 ; Miranda, Gabe 1
HR: Mabeus, Burke-Lee 1
RBI: Hellman, Dominic 3 ; Miranda, Gabe 1 ; Lauaki Jr., Naulivou 1 ; Mabeus, Burke-Lee 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cooney, Ryan 1 ; Gimenez, Jax 1 ; Hellman, Dominic 1 ; Miranda, Gabe 1 ; Mabeus, Burke-Lee 1 ; Cook, Elijah 1
SB: Miranda, Gabe 1
HBP: Smith, Drew 1 ; Schleichardt, Josh 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
cf/lf
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
RHP
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INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ Baseball
INF
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C
/ Baseball1B
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballMark Wasikowski | Postgame vs. Xavier (Game 2)
Thursday, March 12
Burke-Lee Mabeus | Postgame vs. Xavier (Game 2)
Thursday, March 12
Dominic Hellman | Postgame vs. Xavier (Game 2)
Thursday, March 12
Devin Bell | Postgame vs. Xavier (Game 2)
Thursday, March 12
