Cloudy February afternoons usually don’t make fans think of baseball, but today was Opening Day for No. 23 Oregon baseball, which picked up a 6-2 win over the George Mason Patriots. Right-hander Will Sanford got the win behind great hitting from Dominic Hellman (2-5, 3 RBI) and Angel Laya (3-4, 2 runs).

“I thought Dom Hellman came up really big with a couple of at bats,” Oregon head coach Mark Wasikowski said. “For a freshman to do what Angel did in his first game is really good and fans can see how special of a talent Angel is.”

It was the first-ever meeting between the Ducks and Patriots and the second season opening against an opponent from the Atlantic 10 Conference after last year’s opener against Rhode Island in which the Ducks went 3-1, including a 19-12 win.

Right-hander Will Sanford got the start for the Ducks against George Mason’s Owen Stewart.

Sanford started things off right, striking out the side in the first. Left fielder Jax Gimenez got the bats warm by hitting a one-out double into the right field gap, quickly followed by a single by Hellman.

“I wanted to set the tone in the first,” Sanford said. “They’re a good team, don’t strikeout a lot, so just to be aggressive and go after them that was the goal.” 

First baseman Gabe Miranda took a pitch to the side to load the bases, setting up shortstop Maddox Molony, who struck out in three pitches. Third baseman Drew Smith took a walk, giving Gimenez a free trip home to put the Ducks up 1-0.

Laya got his first collegiate hit to start the inning off with a single. Center fielders Jack Brooks and second baseman Ryan Cooney got on with two textbook bunts, with Gimenez advancing the runners with a groundout to second, which scored Laya. 

“I’m feeling great,” Laya said postgame. “To be able to be behind those guys in the dugout, they bring the energy every day, I’m grateful.”

Hellman quickly got back to his old ways by smashing a ball to deep left for a 3-run home run to go up 5-0. Molony got on after a hit by pitch and advanced to third following a two-out blooper to right from Smith.

“It feels pretty good,” Hellman said postgame. “I had a bunch of guys in front of me put together some tough (at-bats), like (Gimenez) doing an important play and scoring a guy to get that going.”

Sanford flashed his glove skills, handling a grounder at the start of the third inning. With seven hits heading into the bottom of the third, the bats were red hot, with Laya picking up his second single of the day. Cooney reached first after beating the double play, but the inning ended following a quick pop fly to right field.

Sanford gave up his first walk in the fourth inning after striking out one and a flyout to left. After a 10-pitch battle, he got his fifth strikeout of the game. The Patriots brought in right-hander Brant Ertel to relieve Stewart, who woke up this morning to a cloudy forecast, but served up several meatballs after allowing 8 hits and 5 runs over 3 innings. 

The top of the fifth went by in a blur with three quick groundouts for George Mason to set up the Ducks batters, who had cooled down since their five-hit inning in the second. Laya hit a double to continue the hitting onslaught in his collegiate debut. Brooks reached first on his second bunt of the day, which sent Laya home following a dropped ball on the throw to first.

Brooks got the first steal of the season for the Ducks, but would get left stranded following two groundouts. Miles Gosztola would take over for Sanford, who finished with five strikeouts and one walk through five innings. Gosztola transferred to Oregon from Gonzaga this offseason after two seasons with the Bulldogs. 

Gosztola got into trouble after walking one and letting up a hit with no outs. With two runners on, he quickly struck out Matthew Westley, but balked the runners over, putting them at second and third. He recovered with another strikeout against Julius Bognerise, but pinch-hitter Laken Tignor stepped up with a two-run single and advanced to second on an error. A pop fly retired the side and put the Patriots down 6-2 heading into the seventh inning stretch.

The Ducks’ bats stayed cold with Mabeus and Laya heading to the dugout quickly, but Brooks reached first on the fourth hit by pitch of the ballgame and picked up his second stolen base. Ertel hit another batter, Cooney, who would get picked off stealing after Ertel was replaced by left-hander Shaun Okeeffe. 

Right-hander Tanner Bradley replaced Gosztola in the eighth and quickly struck out Drew Canody in three pitches. The inning wrapped up quickly with one batter getting on by hit by pitch and two quick outs. 

A leadoff double from Gimenez, following ‘Shout,’ fired up the home crowd to start the bottom of the eighth. Outfielder Elijah Cook came in as a pinch runner for Gimenez was left stranded on the bases, sending the Ducks into the ninth.

Smith defended the hot corner with a lineout and a groundout to start the ninth, with the final out coming from a groundout flip to Bradley at first which went under review after he dropped the ball after stepping on the bag.

Oregon kicks off the front end of a doubleheader against the Patriots tomorrow at 11:05 a.m.