967, 19 and 16. The distance of Naulivou Lauaki Jr.’s two home runs, the number of hits Oregon tallied on Friday and the amount of runs the Ducks (27-10, 11-5 Big Ten) scored in their 16-6 bludgeoning of the University of Illinois (19-17, 7-9 Big Ten).

Once in a while, everything works out optimally.

Even for an Oregon baseball team that has seen most of its offensive struggles come away from PK Park.

Will Sanford pitched five innings of five-run ball and the hitters took advantage of a sloppy Fighting Illini pitching staff, going a whopping 11-20 with runners on to score 16 runs in just seven innings and enact a run-rule.

From the get-go, it was all Oregon. Drew Smith blasted a two-run homer in the first inning, and although Sanford struggled at times throughout his outing, allowing a two-run homer of his own, he did more than enough to ensure the Ducks got the win.

Oregon scored five runs in the third, three runs in the fourth and then five runs in the seventh to coast to a stress-free win. The two biggest blasts of the day — and of the season — came from Lauaki Jr., whose first homer of the day traveled a remarkable 496 feet and brought home three runs.

Maddox Molony would clear the bases with a three-run double in the fourth before Lauaki’s second homer of the game — this one at 471 feet — would begin a five-run seventh that led to the run-rule after a scoreless Illinois seventh.

On the pitching side, Sanford’s pitches caught more of the strike zone than normal, as he allowed five runs in five innings and six extra-base hits. Tanner Bradley would enter in relief, tossing the final two innings and allowing one run.

For the Illini, Regan Hall had significantly less success as he was tagged for 11 runs on 11 hits in just 3.2 innings of work. Brayden Mazzacano was responsible for the Ducks’ final four runs as he allowed six hits over just 1.1 innings of work.

More importantly for Oregon, it was an offensive explosion in conference play that was surely needed to start off the series. Although a lofty number, the Ducks hadn’t scored in double-digits during Big Ten play since a March 22 loss to Northwestern at home.

Head coach Mark Wasikowski will have close to his full repertoire of pitchers to deploy as the Ducks look to get the series win tomorrow. Oregon will send Collin Clarke out to the mound tomorrow against Illinois’ Mitch Dye. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.