Your Oregon Ducks played host to the Xavier Musketeers on Tuesday afternoon, looking to build off of a series win over the weekend. The Ducks would have to work their way out of a bases loaded jam right off the jump, on a walk, a single and a HBP, but would escape unscathed. Oregon would start to get the bats going in the bottom of the second, with Burke-Lee Mabeus knocking in an RBI single with no outs, and then Jax Gimenez smacking a grand slam over the right-center wall to give the Ducks a quick
5-0 lead after two.
Drew Smith would join the party with a solo home run in the third, launching a 420 foot blast to left. The Ducks would load the bases again in the 4th, scoring two runs on a Gabe Miranda ground-out and a Maddox Molony sac-fly, stretching Oregon’s lead to 8-0. They would grab another run on a head’s up intentional rundown on a steal attempt, with Brayden Jaksa intentionally drawing the attention of the Musketeers, in order to let Burke-Lee Mabeus to score. And they would end the game in the 8th inning (by mercy rule) by scoring their 10th run of the game on a Naulivou Lauaki pinch-hit RBI single, sealing the victory 10-0.
While the Ducks offense got all the love in the first couple sections, and deservingly so, I want to talk about the Oregon pitching. Remember that Xavier single in the top of the first, when they loaded the bases? That was the only hit of the ballgame for the Musketeers. An absolutely dominant performance by Toby Twist (5 innings, 1 hit, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts), Tanner Bradley (2 innings, 0 hits, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts) and Blake Crawford (1 inning, 0 hits, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts) today. Phenomenal job by the pitching staff all day. This is the way this team can play when things are rolling. It’s a long season, but if they can find a way to be consistent, well… See you in Omaha, brother.
As always, ‘Sco Ducks.
