PK Park’s outfield lights rise high into the air. They are supported by two metal poles with three sections of intersecting support beams, forming three Xs as the towers get higher. The one in left field is about 345 feet from home plate.
In the ninth inning, with Oregon already down 8-0, No. 2 Stanford outfielder Brandon Wulff blasted a ball over the left field wall, right into the tallest X of the light pole, an estimated 440 foot home run.
“I haven’t seen anybody hit one off that X,” Oregon’s head coach of 10 years George Horton said.
It was the cherry on top of a dominant game, and series, for Stanford. The No. 2 Stanford Cardinal (27-6, 13-2) completed the sweep and defeated the Oregon Ducks (22-16, 7-8) 10-0 Saturday afternoon. Stanford’s offense exploded early and held steady throughout the game, on par with the first two games of the series.
“I thought today was an awful performance quite frankly,” Horton said.
Stanford scored 35 runs in three games, while the Ducks mustered 10.
“They made this ballpark look tiny,” Horton said.
Oregon’s defensive nightmare continued in the first inning of game three. Stanford rocked Oregon starting pitcher Tyler Frazier. He walked two of the first three batters, and Will Matthiessen hit a single up the middle to score the runner from second. Frazier walked another batter to load the bases.
Stanford scored on a sac-fly to give itself the 2-0 lead, but with two outs, the Ducks had a chance to limit the damage. Instead, as they have all series, the Cardinal pulled away.
Nick Brueser singled up the middle and Matthiessen scored from second. With a runner at third, Brueser stole second, and with two runners now in scoring position, Brandon Dieter plated them both with Stanford’s third RBI-single of the inning.
The Ducks pulled Frazier, who finished with 0.2 innings pitched, allowing three hits and five home runs. Kolby Somers entered and held steady up until the fifth inning. Granted, he did allow a home run in the third inning from Andrew Daschbach, but that’s successful given Stanford’s offense this series.
He struggled to locate pitches in the fifth inning. He walked to batters to put runners on first and second with one out. Ryne Nelson came in for relief, but Stanford got to him too. He walked the first batter he faced to load the bases and allowed a two-RBI single just after to give Stanford the 8-0 lead.
The Ducks walked nine batters, and many touched home plate with Stanford’s hot offense.
“That’s like gas and a match, as good as they’re going offensively,” Horton said.
Oregon’s offense was quiet all game. Stanford starting pitcher kept the Ducks off balance all afternoon, finishing with six innings pitched, 11 strikeouts, two walks, four hits and no runs.
The Ducks play California in the next series and need victories to keep any playoff hopes alive.
“We’ve got to lick our wounds and get back to work on Monday,” Horton said.
Follow Jack Butler on Twitter @Butler917
