The Oregon Ducks begin their Pac-12 schedule this weekend starting with a three game series against the California Golden Bears.
Despite having eight non-conference games remaining scattered throughout Pac-12 competition, the bulk of their non-conference schedule was completed on Monday with the Ducks having one of the better records in the conference at 11-4. Only two teams have fewer losses at this point in the season.
“It feels good to get off to a hot start because we have a young team and a lot of young bats in the lineup,” freshman Spencer Steer said. “It’s nice to see that everyone’s doing well. Hopefully we keep the hot streak up and get a series win this weekend.”
At the beginning of the season, Oregon State was picked by media to win the conference. After 15 games, they look every bit the conference leader. Jake Mullholland is one of six pitchers in the nation to have yet to surrender a run on the mound at this point in the season. As a team, the Beavers lead the nation in team ERA. No other Pac-12 team ranks in the top-10 in that category.
Last season’s national runner-up, Arizona, sit in second place heading to conference play despite being picked to finish ninth in the Pac-12 by the media. The Wildcats lead the nation in batting average, hitting .370 this season. They are the only Pac-12 team ranked in the top-10 in this category. UCLA was picked to finish second and is instead in last place heading into conference play, just behind the Golden Bears.
“The old cliché is everybody’s 0-0 but that’s the truth,” Oregon head coach George Horton said. “We could be 15-0 and they could be 15-0 but we’re going in head-to-head (against California).”
The Oregon pitching staff is led by Friday starter David Peterson (3-1). In his first four starts, Peterson is eighth in the nation with 40 strikeouts. He has struck out 31 batters in his last two starts, earning him back-to-back Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week as well as his first career Pac-12 Player of the Week honor. The weekend pitching duties are handled by sophomore’s Matt Mercer (2-2) and Cole Stringer (3-1). Stringer owns a 2.45 ERA with 14 strikeouts and four walks. Mercer has a 1.54 ERA with 21 strikeouts and six walks.
“Not only our rotation, but the back end of our bullpen — each week that’s gone by, I think it’s more and more solidified,” Horton said of his pitching staff.
Heading into the first weekend of conference play the Pac-12 has three teams ranked in the coaches poll, including two in the top-10: No. 2 Oregon State, No. 8 Arizona and No. 18. Stanford.
“The Pac is an endurance contest,” Horton said. “This is the first series and our eyes should be totally on this and see how we come out of this. Hopefully we can keep our head down and be successful week by week against great opponents and great coaches and be in the conference race deep into the season.”
Follow Zak Laster on Twitter: @zlast3445