It may be mid-February, but Angel Laya is already seeing “beachballs,” according to head coach Mark Wasikowski. The true freshman outfielder certainly did his part to earn that compliment from his skipper, slashing .538/.600/1.077 with a 1.677 OPS. in four games over the Ducks’ first series of the year.
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Now heading into Oregon’s second series of the year, a four-game affair with Youngstown State, Laya isn’t the only Duck things are looking sunny for.
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On the offensive side, Jack Brooks, Dominic Hellman and Maddox Maloney helped key an offense that scored 45 runs over opening weekend. Brooks, a senior who has waited his time within the program, was especially impressive, going 5-12 over the four games.
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“We knew what kind of player he was last year, even though he didn’t play a whole lot,” Wasikowski said. “We knew he could be an elite player for us this year, and he’s starting to show that a little bit.”
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On the mound, Oregon’s four starters, Ryan Featherston, Will Sanford, Cal Scolari and Collin Clarke combined to allow two earned runs over 21 innings.
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With the series beginning on Thursday, Wasikowski will start Toby Twist on Thursday, with Featherston moving to the bullpen for the weekend.
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“We didn’t want to move anybody up a day,” Wasikowski said. “Not yet.”
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No. 9 Auburn swept the Penguins in a three-game series last weekend. However, all three games were relatively close, with the Tigers scoring the tying/go-ahead runs late in games one and two.
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Wasikowski said he was particularly impressed with Youngstown State’s starting pitching.
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“They had a lefty and a righty that shut them down flat out,” Wasikowski said of Youngstown State. “They can pitch for anybody, on anybody’s team in the country… that’s why Auburn didn’t score on them.”
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Twist’s start on Thursday will be one to monitor as the southpaw battled injury all last season. He allowed one run and threw 24 pitches in one inning of work against George Mason.
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“Really good. I mean, there’s obviously a lot of talent on the mound that we have, and some of those guys got to pitch today, which is good,” Wasikowski said of Twist’s performance. “ To have those guys rolling out on game four is really a lot of fun. You know, when you’re able to pitch well enough and play well enough to where those guys are out there in the fourth game of the series, that’s a good feeling.”
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The Ducks begin a four-game home series against Youngstown State (0-3) at 3 p.m. on Thursday. The series continues at 3 p.m. on Friday and at noon on both Saturday and Sunday.