Nine games. 11 days. The Oregon baseball team got off to a 1-0 start in its manic two-week stretch of the schedule with a win over Portland on Wednesday, but the real fun begins this weekend as the Ducks head to Los Angeles for a series with USC.
Oregon (16-14, 1-5 Pacific-10 Conference) comes in riding a modest two-game win streak after a difficult 1-7 stretch that ended last weekend. The Trojans (13-19, 4-5 Pac-10) have also struggled to start the season, but they showed signs of life by taking two of three games against No. 17 Stanford last weekend.
The series is just another step in what could be a defining moment for head coach George Horton’s players.
“If we’re ever going to turn this thing around, it’s make-or-break time,” Horton told The Register-Guard. “And that’s what I’m telling (the team).”
Playing in Oregon’s favor is that the team will trot out its three best starters against the Trojans. Tyler Anderson (4-1, 1.70 ERA) will look to set the tone on Friday, followed by Madison Boer (2-1, 1.87) and Alex Keudell (4-3, 3.00). Boer and Keudell arrive on top of their respective games, both having thrown at least eight innings of shutout ball against Washington.
Even so, Horton is unsure as to how even his best players will react to such a strenuous schedule.
“As a coach, I hope I don’t put ’em in a situation where they can’t be successful,” Horton told The Register-Guard. “It’s a tightrope; it’s a little dangerous. We’re jumping into the fire, and now it’s up to us to embrace the challenge.”
Oregon’s pitchers, of course, have proven to be adept at handling the pressure. It is the hitters and their collective .234 batting average that Horton rightfully worries about.
Of course, with 15 runs in the last two games, there are signs that the slump may finally be coming to an end.
“I think once things get rolling again, it’ll be easier for the hitters to hit and the pitchers to pitch,” Keudell told GoDucks.com.
Second baseman Danny Pulfer agreed, particularly after a 3-for-5 performance at the plate in a 9-0 win over Washington last Sunday.
“That felt like us,” Pulfer told GoDucks.com. “That’s been missing for a long time now. It feels good to see guys finally feel comfortable.”
That sense of comfort will have to continue in this marathon stretch for the Ducks. In Pulfer’s eyes, the key will be staying in the moment.
“We’re very capable of rolling on 15 or 20,” Pulfer told GoDucks.com. “It’s just staying with that mentality of, ‘Hey, this is game one, not game 20.’ Take it day by day, winning each pitch.”
Barring any unexpected setbacks, Oregon’s bats should be at full strength this weekend. Freshman leftfielder Stefan Sabol was pulled from Wednesday’s game with an apparent leg injury, but Horton did not believe it to be serious. Sophomores Christian Jones and Joey Housey are also expected to return from injury to boost the depth of the bullpen.
The time for excuses is over. The Ducks are healthy and ready to dive into the meat of the schedule. Little margin for error remains, and Horton is the first to admit that.
“We’ve already screwed it up a little bit,” Horton told The Register-Guard. “Now, it’s time to fix it.”
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