After a 3-1 series win over Santa Clara over the weekend, the Ducks’ baseball team is now 5-2 at home with two series wins under its belt.
The Ducks head into a weekend four-gamer with the University of Nevada-Reno Wolf Pack (3-8) starting Thursday at 6-6 on the season and I like their chances to be at least 9-7 when they take the field at PGE Park in Portland the following Friday.
I try not to toot the company horn too loudly in these opinion pieces, but no matter the result this weekend I believe the first two home series have gone about as well as anyone could have hoped. All of the games have been played – in sunshine, downpour, snowstorm and finally, a hurry.
This weekend might have seemed like crazy weather to those who are experiencing their first Oregon March. To the rest of us it’s just business as usual and it has appeared so to the team as well, as PK Park has efficiently gobbled up every single drop of rain or snow that has fallen while gleaming brilliantly in the brief periods on sunshine.
The stadium experience aspect of the games had a strong sophomore showing to go along with the quality of the playing surface. After an opening weekend where music bled over into pitches and most of the crowd involvement seemed in disarray, we saw a crisp production by the public address crew. The music was appropriate and well-timed, the crowd was invited into some cheers and instructed in how to participate (it has been 28 years, you know) and the between-innings tomfoolery on the field was at least slightly more amusing.
Then, and in the most crucial role, there was the product on the field.
The Oregon pitching staff has been as good as advertised. Sure, freshman southpaw ace Tyler Anderson had a couple of shaky innings Friday, but you can’t be perfect every time out.
I’m also still waiting to see a quality home start from junior lefty Ben Whitmore, who showed flashes of possible brilliance with 10 strikeouts on the road at St. Mary’s, including six in a row at one point.
Those two minor disappointments aside, the pitching was on point. Junior Erik Stavert threw well again Saturday and the bullpen combo of sophomore Drew Gagnier and junior Geoff Nichols were lights-out in the 13-inning marathon that was game three.
The Duck bats got on the upswing as well, even treating the PK Park faithful to a couple of big flies. Sophomore Mitch Karraker’s bomb to dead center was truly a sight to behold – it looked to me like he took an extra second or two to admire it along with us – but you can’t really blame him as it was a pretty impressive blast.
Yep, life seems good for the Duck baseball program right now, save one glaring issue: the lack of student support.
Those shiny metal bleachers along the left field line haven’t been full since opening day. The series against Santa Clara was seriously a pathetic excuse for a student presence. Maybe it was because of the weather. Maybe it was because of the academic crunch time we’re all in right now. Hell, maybe you were all just getting blasted down in Fowl Territory; though on six-dollar beers that seems unlikely.
I’m not sure why (and there are obviously several excuses), but I know it needs to change. The student section is the root of the home-court advantage Oregon’s other sports teams enjoy and the baseball team obviously deserves the same level of support.
You’ve got time to change. The Ducks aren’t home again until spring break and I expect you will crawl out from under your pile of books as the new term begins and the weather gets better. For now though, I’m calling you out. You are all on notice.
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