As spring term winds down, the seasons for the two diamond Duck teams is just heating up.
Many Oregon fans may not know it, but the University baseball and softball teams may be playing their best ball in school history. The Pac-12 is the best conference in the country for both sports, and both teams are near the top of the rankings.
Baseball is ranked 5th@@http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/baseball/d1@@ in the country with a record of 37-14@@http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/baseball/d1@@ and is in first place in the Pac-12.@@http://www.pac-12.org/@@ Fresh off a 3-2 victory against rival Oregon State earlier in the week, @@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&KEY=&SPID=11401&SPSID=94835@@the Ducks have only three games remaining to claim the conference crown.
Considering the program was only reinstated in 2009,@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205420154@@ the baseball team’s climb to the top of the best conference in the country is very impressive.
While they may not blast the ball over the fences like many fans want to see, baseball at PK Park is fun to watch because the Ducks play the game the right way. They win games because they rank among the top teams in the country in pitching and defense.
The games are not as high-scoring as the football team, but they are always exciting because the games are often very close and come down to the last inning. Oregon has a few future professional players on the field every day, and if you understand baseball or even just want to learn how the game is played, PK Park is the place to go.
The stadium, PK Park, is considered to be one of the best places to watch a game on the West Coast. It’s still very new and absolutely beautiful when the sun is out. Great food, great baseball and great fans. Why wouldn’t you want to be at PK?
Students also have an opportunity to win a lot of free stuff at each game. There are coupons for free Qdoba entrees, memorabilia and many more incentives for students to head out to the park.
But baseball isn’t the only Oregon team having success on the diamond. The softball team is making a name for themselves too.
Over at Howe Field the softball team is 39-15 and are ranked 9th in the nation. @@http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/softball/d1@@Whether it be watching Jessica Moore@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Jessica+Moore+@@ dominate on the mound or seeing Samantha Pappas@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=sam+pappas@@ take aim at the fences as a hitter, Oregon softball is fun to watch. Even though they play in the best conference in the country, they will be a serious threat in the postseason to make a run.
Both softball and baseball will be in the NCAA tournament playoffs; that much is clear. But the exciting thing to think about for Oregon fans is that both may be hosting regional tournaments as a part of that playoff system.
Being a fan of Oregon sports is more than just watching football and basketball. There are other teams on campus that are gaining national recognition, and fans should take notice.
When the sun is shining and the weather is warm, there is nowhere better to spend a weekend than at the ballpark, whether it be watching baseball or softball.  These teams are playing excellently and deserve to have more Duck fans flocking to their stadiums.
So go out and catch a game and play ball!