Lost in the craziness of Sunday’s monumental comeback win for Oregon baseball was a milestone achievement for fifth-year senior Tanner Smith. His two-run homer – which helped erase a six-run deficit — tied him for the most hits in Oregon history with Gabe Matthews.

“So special,” he said. “It’s something you dream about.”

It was hit No. 246 for the left fielder. He also has the second-most at-bats in Oregon history with 806, behind only Matthews’ 838, a mark he will surely pass this season. He recently broke the Oregon record for multi-hit games, with 70 now, surpassing Matthews’ 66. He’s approaching Matthews in doubles as well, needing just four more to tie the record of 58.

“Tanner, with what he’s done here in his career, has been a guy that’s been productive and consistent enough to maintain himself in the lineup the entire time,” head coach Mark Wasikowski said. “His work ethic is tremendous. During this offseason, he’s committed himself to the weight room at a level that he never has.”

Smith has been a starter for this team ever since his freshman year in 2019. He’s put up an OBP of at least .370 in every season, including the shortened COVID-19 year. For his career, he’s batting .305/.393/.471. He’s been a reliable force in this lineup, whether he’s batting leadoff, third or even fifth. He owns the Oregon record of 181 consecutive starts, a streak that’s still alive to this day, with Matthews second at 137.

Matthews was that kind of player as well, playing five years at Oregon and putting his name all over the record books. He’s now a first baseman in the Los Angeles Angels organization. Smith said Matthews still regularly checks in with him, joking that he told Matthews they can only share the record for a week.

“He’s an unbelievable guy, and he’s so proud,” Smith said. “I’m just lucky to be able to play for him for as long as I was and see him go on with his career. I know he’s happy to see everything coming our way, and he wants this program’s success as much as anybody.”

With the Ducks playing four games this weekend, it’s almost a statistical certainty that Smith is about to take sole possession of the honor. His production on the field, over such a sustained period of time, has cemented him as one of the faces of a program that was resurrected in 2009.

“I remember looking at all those records five years ago and thinking how crazy it would be to have all those kinds of numbers,” Smith said. “And now that it’s starting to come around, it’s a pretty cool feeling.”

Smith and the Ducks will look to keep their two-game winning streak alive Friday against Northwestern State at 4 p.m.