4-18-22 Emerald Media - Monday Edition

APRIL 18, 2022 Monday Edition

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SPRING BREAK IN UKRAINE One of many individuals providing aid to Ukraine, University of Oregon sociology professor Randall Blazak spent his spring break across the world helping refugees.

NEWS

A&C

OPINION

SPORTS

ASUO ELECTION RESULTS PG 4

BRIDGERTON REVIEW PG 5

AN ODE TO SHONDA RHIMES PG 12

OREGON BASEBALL SWEEPS WASHINGTON WITH WIN PG 13 M O N D AY, A P R I L 1 8 , 2 0 2 2

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR SUPPORT UKRAINE TO DEFEND DEMOCRACY

BY LARRY CHADWICK, UO alumnus, Lake Oswego resident VOL. 123, ISSUE NO. 39

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Rikiya Klasen

The distance from Portland to Kyiv, Ukraine, is 5,632 miles. I’ve heard it said, “Why should I care? I don’t know anyone from Ukraine.”

The distance, or who you know, isn’t the issue.

This is! We live in a nation that chooses its leaders versus a country that a dictator controls.

America has had its difficulties over the last few years, resulting in us being deeply divided.

We are often willing to say that those who disagree with our political views are ignorant or brainwashed. I hope Americans can agree upon the following by what the Ukrainian people are experiencing from the autocratic decisionmaking of Russia’s President Putin: NATO has become more relevant than ever in just the last few weeks. Donald Trump expressed throughout his presidency his desire to withdraw from NATO. Those next to him maintain he would have done so if elected to a second term. NATO had been able to keep the peace in Europe for almost 80 years. It is the buffer between the militarism of Russia and the rest of the world.

A nation cannot function without the free

flow of information. Indeed, a free press! The Putin government is feeding the Russian people a multitude of lies. They lack the knowledge to hold their leadership accountable. Until recently, at least one major American television network expressed support for Putin’s decisions. While I loathe such thinking, the point is, in this country, the free flow of ideas is at the heart of who we are.

We have political parties that have substantial differences in opinion about how we should function as a nation. But when it comes to crimes against humanity, WE ARE UNITED! While there has been much disagreement in recent times, the fact is we still elect individuals to represent our interests. ONE decision maker runs the Russian government.

Democracy is sometimes messy, but I’ll take it over a dictator any day of the week!

Having a free press may irritate me when it supports a fascist, but I’ll take that anytime over a lack of not hearing different ideas! 5,632 miles is closer than ever when you think about freedom being assaulted by a ruthless dictator!

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Summary: In this first installment of the “Parahumans” series, Taylor Herbert is an introverted teenage girl with a unique superpower: the ability to control worms, insects, arachnids and other simple lifeforms. Taylor runs from her unhappy life as a civilian by becoming a superhero, only to find herself in a world of politics, gray morals and unwritten rules. Should she do the wrong things for the right reasons?

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NEWS

ASUO ELECTION RESULTS Luda Isakharov and Kavi Shrestha will be the new ASUO president and vice president.

BY JAKE MOORE

Kavi Shresta (left) is the vice president-elect for the ASUO, and Luda Isakharov (right) is the president-elect. The ASUO's elections were certified recently on April 6, 2022. (Will Geschke/Emerald)

ASUO confirmed the last of 24 new subcommittee officials on April 6, after two weeks of elections and months of preparation. Luda Isakharov of the Progress UO campaign was named next year’s ASUO president, with Kavi Shrestha appointed as her vice president.

ASUO released the results from its first round of elections on March 31. In situations where no candidate wins 50% or more of the vote, the two candidates with the most votes face off in a second round of elections called run-offs.

Slates are a group of candidates running for a variety of positions that share similar values and goals for their time in office, similar to a political party. This year Progress UO won a large number of the open seats.

Progress UO executive candidates Isakharov and Shrestha won their run-off early in the week after their opposition pulled out of the race. They will take office on May 25.

Leading up to the election, their opponent Claire O’Connor faced claims of bribery, according to the ASUO elections board. This led to O’Connor’s resignation from her role as the ASUO senate president and retirement from the race for ASUO president.

Isakharov and Shrestha are both sophomores at the University of Oregon.

Isakharov currently serves as ASUO executive secretary of program administration, and Shrestha sits on the ASUO senate and serves as finance chair of the EMU Board.

As president, Isakharov will act as a spokesperson for the student body and an administrator for all ASUO programs, according to the ASUO Constitution. As vice president, Shrestha will serve as liaison between the diversity plan committee and the ASUO executive office. He will also be responsible for equipment funding relating to the ASUO executive branch.

Both Isakharov and Shrestha said their current ASUO experience, in addition to other past experiences, provided motivation to run for the executive positions and PA G E 4

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make needed changes to ASUO. “Things needed to shift both within the organization and in terms of accessibility to the student body,” Shrestha said.

According to the duo, this means listening to student voices. “We want to create a new process for ASUO,” Isakharov said. “First and foremost we want to default to the people who know more than us and are connected with the students and coalitions and uplift them and their voices and provide the institutional knowledge to support them.”

Sixteen new ASUO senators were also confirmed, leaving one position to be filled by appointment, and six subcommittee members were elected leaving five to be appointed.

Of the new senators elected, eight will also serve on one of the four sub committees: the Programs Finance Committee, the EMU Board, the Contracts Finance Committee and the Departments Finance Committee.

Sophomore Fisher Isenberg is one of those newly-elected senators. Occupying seat nine on the senate, Isenberg will serve a term of two years and will also be a member of DFC, which is tasked with funding for departments including the Mills International Center and Duck Rides.

“I’ll be able to make tangible change, which is really exciting,” Isenberg said. “I think it’s really important that our budget is allocated in a way that reflects the students’ perspective and needs.”

Natalie Hawkins will serve on seat seven in the new ASUO senate. She will also be a member of the CFC, which manages contracts like the one that provides students with free rides with Lane Transit District.

“A lot of students don’t know about the budgeting process and how much power ASUO actually holds,” Hawkins said. “That really needs to change.”

Hawkins said more public forums and student surveys could be an important step to getting the student body involved in the decisions made within ASUO.

A&C

REVIEW: ‘BRIDGERTON’ SEASON TWO RADIATES The period dramedy comes back strong this season, with another love story for its viewers.

BY SAMMY PIEROTTI • TWITTER @SAMMYPIEROTTI Season one of “Bridgerton” swept the TV sphere in December of 2020. The show was fast-paced but a slow burn, capturing audiences with its beautiful characters and set design. In the depths of quarantine, it was easy to get lost in Daphne and the Duke’s complex courting affairs. When I heard Phoebe Dynevor (Daphne) was taking a back seat in season two and Rege-Jean Page (Duke Simon) wouldn’t be in the season at all, I was disappointed but intrigued.

Viewers went into season two of “Bridgerton” blind, and the reviews were a mixed bag.

“This is the season the viscount intends to find a wife,” Lady Violet Bridgerton proclaims at the first ball of the season. The eligible ladies of the ton swoon, making their way over to Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) as he fills his dance card. But of course, Anthony falls for the one woman he can’t seem to charm. He is betrothed to the younger Sharma sister, Edwina — his perfect match on paper and the diamond of the season. But his true feelings lie with the elder Sharma sister, Kate (Simone Ashley).

Although predictable, the star-crossed lovers plot that season two follows is fun to watch. The thing I had trouble with was figuring out why both Sharma sisters were swooning over Anthony. His character is undoubtedly more developed in the books but on-screen his “putting on a brave face for his family, self-sacrificing, head-of-the household” act fell flat.

It’s frustrating to watch so many feelings hurt over his continuous and unnecessary need to uphold the family name. Bailey’s acting was adequate, but he didn’t have much to work with considering Anthony’s lack of emotional depth the entire season.

“Anthony and Kate had so much chemistry which made the second season so fun to watch,” UO sophomore Jillian Dixon said. “I feel like there were more romantic stakes involved in their love story than Daphne and Simon’s.”

The Bridgertons and Sharmas were fun to watch, but the Featheringtons were the true highlight of the season. Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) was exposed to the audience as Lady Whistledown, the gossip pamphlet publisher, at the end of season one. Her fearlessness in season two is invigorating to watch, and viewers really start to see her come into her character when she’s using her wallflower status to eavesdrop on gossip. With Phillipa off and wed, Prudence (Bessie Carter) is cast into many schemes to land her in an engagement. Carter is a hoot to watch and a necessary break from the oh-so-intense Bridgerton and Sharma love triangle.

In comparison to season one, season two of “Bridgerton” is much more composed. Daphne and Simon’s love story doubled down on the sexual scenes, and the costumes tried harder to be eraappropriate. Season two partly drops the period piece act, opting for more flattering hairstyles and dresses.

The cast radiates dewy skin, bright evening gowns and face-framing haircuts making all the difference when it comes to the aesthetics of the show.

The first half of season two was definitely more fun to watch than the latter, with episode four,

“Victory,” being a personal favorite of mine. The Edwina, Kate and Anthony love triangle is at its peak, creating palpable tension on screen. Daphne returns to offer Anthony advice on his courting rituals and the Bridgertons host a ball at their country estate.

Awkwardness ensues in the later half of the season, when the love triangle plays out and feelings are hurt.

To Shonda Rhimes, the mastermind behind “Bridgerton,” season two’s success is just one of a lifetime of wins. The Guardian calls Rhimes "Netflix Royalty," saying that everything she does turns to gold. The cast cites a comfortable filming experience, even during the more intense scenes. Intimacy coordinator Lizzy Talbot returned from season one and worked the cast through the sex scenes. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ashley

states, “[the cast] couldn’t have done it without her.

She made sure we were safe. She made sure we were comfortable and confident, that we felt heard, that there was an easy window of communication.”

If you’re a serious film buff or a rom-com hater, I wouldn’t recommend this show. But at the same time, I feel like “Bridgerton” has something for everyone.

The romance is an obvious draw, but there are also valuable subplots about 19th-century female empowerment. The cast of “Bridgerton” is diverse and body inclusive, and the show throws in enough humor not to take itself too seriously. Viewers don’t even have to watch the first season to understand the second. If you’re looking for a goofy, fun show to watch with an extremely attractive cast, give “Bridgerton” season two a go.

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COVER Randall Blazak, a UO sociology professor, spent his spring break helping Ukrainian refugees. He spent his first few days pulling weeds and digging a garden to help restore a safe house in Jaroslaw, Poland. (Image courtesy of Randall Blazak)

A street in Lviv, Ukraine with a coffee stand where Randall Blazak spent time. (Image courtesy of Randall Blazak)

UO PROFESSOR RANDALL BLAZAK SPENT HIS SPRING BREAK HELPING UKRAINIAN REFUGEES

BY ALEXIS WEISEND • TWITTER @WEISEND_ALEXIS

After seeing atrocities played out on his TV, Blazak flew to Poland to help Ukrainian refugees and deliver aid inside Ukraine.

Randall Blazak, a sociology professor at the University of Oregon, purchases a cappuccino from a coffee stand on a sunny, Monday morning. Women pushing baby carriages stroll by, and workers paint the outside of a nearby building.

He’s just about to take a sip when air raid sirens blare throughout the city of Lviv, Ukraine, causing everyone on the street to scatter. Smoke still hangs in the air from the weekend’s rocket attack.

“It’s a big city,” Blazak said. “So the odds of you being on the block that gets hit by the rocket are slim but not zero.”

Instead of spending most of his spring break in Paris as he had planned, Blazak rushed to the Polish border to help Ukrainian refugees after watching the news and seeing a young Ukrainian girl who was killed in the war that looked just like his daughter.

Blazak said he was tired of experiencing bystander fatigue. “I had seen enough from the other side of the TV screen,” he said. “​​I gotta do something. I can't watch and just send $20 to UNICEF or something. I’ve got to do something more.”

Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, with the goal of bringing Ukraine under Russian control. With nearly 2,000 civilian casualties in Ukraine, according to Statista, the war has seen an increased level of action from individuals since governments are holding off on direct involvement, partially due to Russia’s nuclear weapons capabilities.

Blazak flew to Poland, which borders Ukraine, and arrived in a hotel full of Ukrainian women and children who had fled their homes, he said. He began working PA G E 8

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on restoring a safe house in Jaroslaw, where Ukrainian refugees could stay once they crossed the border.

He spent his first few days pulling weeds, digging a garden and plucking broken vodka bottles out of the ground so children could play in the yard. To fill the garden, he planted sunflower seeds — Ukraine’s national flower and a symbol of resilience throughout the Russian invasion.

While Blazak worked in the garden, Sally Naetzker Baer — a woman who took time away from her gift

​​I gotta do something. I can't watch and just send $20 to UNICEF or something.

I’ve got to do something more.”

RANDAL BLAZAK UO Professor

shop in New York to help refugees and distribute aid — asked him if he would deliver military and medical aid inside Ukraine since she was ill.

With only the clothes on his back and a phone that could barely hold a charge, Blazak set off into a warzone. “I was very honored to be there,” he said.

A night in Ukraine Blazak said a 19-year-old Ukrainian wearing sunglasses and a bomber jacket named Vitali (the Emerald is only using Vitali’s first name for safety reasons) picked him up in a van and took off towards Lviv, Russian hip-hop booming from the radio.

“I said, ‘Dude, slow down,’” Blazak said. “‘He’s like, ‘the faster you drive, the harder it is for them to shoot you.’”

Once they arrived, they began distributing the supplies they brought, which included compasses, gloves, telescopes and armored vests.

The mission was meant to be a day trip, but as they neared the city’s curfew of 10 p.m., it quickly became clear they would not be returning to Poland that night, Blazak said.

A group of young Ukrainians invited Blazak and Vitali to spend the night in a shelter in the basement of a seminary. They shared their experiences of the war over hot dogs and leftover cakes from a wedding that had happened upstairs. “I'm normally kind of a vegan,” Blazak said. “But you're in a war zone, somebody offers you some sausage, you're gonna eat it.”

The shelter was filled with women, children,

COVER reporters and men transporting supplies. “I felt like it was a beehive,” Blazak said. “I mean it’s just surreal in its own way.”

The delay turned out to be fortuitous; Naetzker Baer contacted Blazak and told him a mother and her three daughters needed help getting out of the country and into Poland.

After Blazak grabbed a cappuccino and a phone charger, he and Vitali helped the family pack their things into the van, air raid sirens still pulsating throughout the city.

They began the journey back to Poland, the young family leaving behind their home and a father fighting in Eastern Ukraine. Blazak showed them a picture of his 7-year-old daughter, holding up a note with a drawing of a Ukrainian flag, hearts and peace signs.

“We wish you peace and love, Ukraine,” the note said.

“It just added to the notion that the world cares about them all the way in Portland, Oregon,” Blazak said. “There’s this 7-year-old kid drawing pictures of the Ukrainian flag because she cares about what’s happening to kids in Ukraine, and I think that resonated with them.”

Although Blazak and the family did not share the same language, they did share a love for The Beatles.

As they drove away from Lviv, they sang the lyrics to “Yellow Submarine.”

Russian spies Sneaking military supplies into a foreign country is tricky, especially with meddling Russian spies.

“In retrospect, you're like, ‘Oh, this is totally like something of a James Bond movie,’” Blazak said.

He said Russian spies were undercover in Poland, trying to figure out how so many supplies were coming past the border under their noses.

“They were amongst us saying, ‘Hey, man! Oh, you took some pictures? Can I see your phone?’” Blazak said. “They're getting the information off the phones about how things are getting in.”

Blazak and Naetzker Baer said they suspect a Russian spy was sent to watch the aid organizations in their area. In a hotel full of Ukrainian women and children, one man stood out, Naetzker Baer said.

For three days, he sat alone in common areas of the hotel, always with his laptop open, headphones in and frequent questions, Naetzker Baer said.

One night, the man asked if he could come with and help work on the safe house. Naetzker Baer agreed, knowing the amount of manual labor that needed to be done on the house, she said.

“He wanted to know specific information, or he wanted to know who we knew inside the country,” Blazak said. “And then we started looking at each other, and the bell went off: This is one of those Russian agents that we've been hearing about.”

Naetzker Baer said that day was a nightmare. “It was just a really, really horrible situation. In the end, we all collectively in the hotel decided that he was an unsafe person,” she said. They ignored him for the rest of their stay.

“It is an ‘individual war’ in many ways” Naetzker Baer said she will likely write a book about the volume of aid delivered by individuals to Ukraine during the war compared to that delivered by governments or NGOs. “It is an ‘individual war’ in many ways,” she said.

She said she thinks Western leaders have been less involved in this war because no country wants to “tip the scales” and trigger a World War III. Russia is a nuclear state with over 6,200 nuclear warheads, according to the Arms Control Association. More than 90% of the world’s warheads belong to Russia and the United States.

Andrii Onysko, a second-year student at the University of Oregon School of Law, left his home

country of Ukraine eight years ago. He still has family there, and the war has distracted him from his schoolwork, he said.

“I've just been reading the news nonstop,” he said.

“Right now, I am actively involved in spreading awareness among Americans about the horror this war brought to my home country.”

Onysko said he believes Western leaders are not providing enough aid, particularly military aid, to Ukraine and should consider more direct involvement.

“I don’t find them empathizing with Ukrainians,” he said. “I don’t find them interested in making this conflict end.”

Onysko said it is spineless of politicians to represent the war as something happening far away from the United States. If the war ends in Russia’s favor, the conflict may spread, and the United States will feel in danger, he said.

Western leaders need to work on tougher sanctions against Russia, Onysko said. When people around him complain about inflation due to sanctions, he said he feels disheartened.

“We would rather see people die than pay $5 for a gallon of gas,” he said.

He encourages the local community to donate to relief organizations and be aware of how many people are dying every day in Ukraine.

Craig Parsons, a UO political science professor and an expert on the European Union, said Western governments took on strong sanctions quickly and pushed businesses to split from their dealings with Russia.

“My impression is that we’ve actually seen a very unusual level of responsiveness, certainly at the level of business,” Parsons said. “And then the United States and Western governments with their coordinated sanctions and taking a very strong stance.”

However, Parsons said Western governments are drawing a sharp line at not fighting directly for Ukraine and not imposing a no-fly zone.

“The United States and the rest of the Western governments are talking a big game. ‘We're on your side. We're going to do everything we can, but we're going to sit over here on this side of the border while we watch you all get killed right now,’” Parsons said.

Parsons said the reason governments won’t cross that line is it could start World War III. Even if it doesn’t, Parsons said engagement could give Putin exactly what he wants: a bolster to his claim that Western governments are out to get Russia. “​​There is a real concern that an escalation could just get out of control and could be very bad, very quickly,” he said. “But there's also a desire among Western policymakers to not give Putin the satisfaction.”

After arriving in Poland to support Ukrainian refugees, Randall Blazak worked on restoring a safe house in Jaroslaw where Ukrainian refugees could stay once they crossed the border. (Image courtesy of Randall Blazak)

ORGANIZATIONS TO DONATE TO TO SUPPORT UKRAINE: RAZOM FOR UKRAINE, an emergency

response that purchases emergency medical supplies delivered straight to points of delivery in Poland and Ukraine.

THE INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE is supporting evacuation

efforts for women and children in Ukraine and providing psychological care to support other displaced people.

UN CRISIS RELIEF is using funds to help

the U.N. and their humanitarian partners offer immediate relief on the ground.

Donate directly to people in Ukraine by, for example, booking an Airbnb in Ukraine that you don’t plan to check in to or buying digital products from Ukrainians on sites like Etsy.

Coming home Blazak said he was so busy during his trip that he never got the chance to fully process what he saw.

However, the experience helped him understand how waves of resurfacing trauma work — a concept he has already begun to teach about in the classroom.

“NPR was on, and, like Pavlov’s dog, immediately it was like, ‘I’m going back. I’m going back. What am I doing here?’” he said.

His students include veterans, former prisoners and those who have experienced horrible things, he said. “I feel like that’s something that I can share with students.”

Blazak also said he learned how much an individual can make a difference and that not everything has to be left up to governments or big organizations.

“I don't know if I'll ever meet the kids that I helped bring out,” Blazak said. “But I have a feeling that they'll remember me and that I was the goofy dad that helped them get them out while the air raid sirens were going off.”

Randall Blazak showed a young family who he helped escape from Ukraine into Poland a note and picture created by his 7-year-old daughter. (Image courtesy of Randall Blazak)

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OPINION

AN ODE TO SHONDA

Cossette: Television producer and writer Shonda Rhimes masterfully creates complex characters of color who aren’t solely rooted in their racial identity.

BY SOPHIA COSSETTE • TWITTER @SOPHIACOSSETTE In our current era of cancel culture and seemingly forced representation, finding television shows that accurately portray characters of color are few and far between. Today’s network television often either casts POC characters into exhausted stereotypes and tropes or makes the character's racial struggles their entire plotline in a failed attempt to be overly woke.

However, amid the endless muck of these tired characters and shows emerges a star: Shonda.

Shonda Rhimes is one of television's most successful and established writers and producers, responsible for endless fan favorites such as “Grey’s Anatomy,” “How to Get Away with Murder,” “Scandal” and even recent hit “Bridgerton.”

Not only do these shows feature endless drama and romance, they also boast some of the most well-written characters of color to ever grace our screens. Rhimes (Lynette Slape/Emerald)

has the artful skill of making her characters of color complex. Their racial identities are important, but it compliments the characters rather than overriding their individuality. Since her release of “Grey’s Anatomy” almost 20 years ago, Rhimes has created so many unique characters of color that also indirectly celebrate their culture without being the entire show.

One of Rhimes’ most successful works, “Scandal,” is a political drama centered around the escapades of Olivia Pope, a high-up White House communications worker.

Not only was “Scandal” the first show centering a Black female lead in primetime TV in over 40 years, which is groundbreaking on its own, but it also received high praise for the complexity of Olivia Pope’s character.

We watched Pope go from power-playing with high class politicians to having salacious affairs with the leaders of the United States. Pope’s character was imperfect, but still strong and confident in a way that Black women are so rarely portrayed on television. No, we don’t all sleep with the president or rig elections, but the messiness and complexity of her character is something women of all races experience in real life, and something Black women deserve to see on screen.

Had Rhimes focused solely on Pope's race in this series, the character would have lost her dimensionality and relatability. Instead, Pope stood on her own, and “Scandal” was one of the first widely watched network shows to have Black women as main characters instead of just being the snappy sidekick to a White lead.

Rhimes’ new show, “Bridgerton,” also includes the same complicated and interesting characters of color.

While the period piece is set in a time in England where most of the royal figures the actors portray would have been White, Rhimes chose to do colorblind casting and included many POC characters in both seasons.

All the characters have equally tantalizing

EDITORIAL CARTOON: Russia reflection

storylines, and one of season two’s favorites has been the arrival of two Indian sisters, Kate and Edwina Sharma. The Sharma sisters enjoy the same romance and dramatic twists as their fellow characters while also providing representation in a way that doesn’t detract from the story’s plot.

Rhimes subtly celebrates the Sharma sisters’ Indian culture in “Bridgerton,” decking the pair out in traditional Indian jewelry and nodding to the prewedding ritual in Hindu weddings in Edwina’s marriage scene. Moreover, rather than exploit the characters of color for easy plotlines about adversity they would have faced in the England of that era, Rhimes creates a colorblind world. An NPR review called it “a fantasy realm where no racial digs are heard.

This is the perfect way to include characters of color in drama television. Rhimes’ shows are almost all modernday soaps, so we watch them for pure enjoyment and escapism. When people turn on a Netflix drama to unwind after a long day, we want to see romance and light-hearted drama, not the traumatization of characters of color and racial stereotypes.

Rhimes has found the perfect balance of providing representation to racial groups who don’t often see themselves in lead roles, while still allowing the characters to be their own, free of the constraints the media has put on their identities.

BY ANTONIO MORALES

On April 1, 2022, Moscow authorities announced a cruel joke to their college-age men. 134,500 Russian men will be selected in their spring conscription, forced to fight Putin’s war in Ukraine. This is compared to University of Oregon students and their fortunate lives which shows how innocent livelihoods can be turned upside-down in wartime. The Russian people are not the enemy, the Russian authorities are.

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Sophia Cossette is an opinion columnist for the Daily Emerald.

She is a second-year student and proud Oakland native, majoring in journalism and geography.

Sophia writes most passionately about issues of social justice and intersectionality.

Antonio Morales is an editorial cartoonist for the Daily Emerald. He is a third-year student studying history and anthropology. Antonio's cartoons emphasize the important cultural and social significances of current events and their direct impact on the UO community.

SPORTS Tanner Smith (31) heads to first base after a hit. Oregon Baseball takes on Ball State on April 9, 2022 in Eugene, Ore. (Mary Grosswendt/Emerald)

OREGON BASEBALL SWEEPS WASHINGTON WITH 11-INNING 6-5 WIN

BY ELLIOTT DEINS

An early lead helped Oregon baseball overcome a late Washington comeback as the Ducks beat the Huskies 6-5 in 11 innings on Saturday.

The Ducks took the field looking for the series sweep against the Huskies, earning their 24th win of the season and remaining locked in Pac-12 contention.

A three-run second inning got the Ducks off to an early lead. Sam Novitske hit a triple to right field, collecting two RBIs in the process. He later scored on a wild pitch from Washington’s Adam Bloebaum. The Ducks led 3-0 at the end of the second.

The first hit for the Huskies was a triple from McKay Barney in the bottom of the third inning. Jace Stoffal’s next pitch was hit for an RBI double by Will Simpson. The inning ended with the Ducks ahead 3-1.

Stoffal went three innings, giving up two hits and one run. Right-hander Caleb Sloan took the mound in the bottom of the fourth. With the bases loaded and one out, Jacob Walsh made a run-saving grab off a line drive to get the crucial second out. Walsh was also part of the third out to leave the Huskies scoreless.

Designated hitter Brennan Milone homered to left, increasing the Ducks’ lead to 4-1. Rio Britton took the mound in the bottom of the fifth. The Ducks turned their second double play of the weekend, their 37th this season.

Matt Dallas came on to pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning. Washington got three hits, a Ducks error and two runs to close the gap in the bottom of sixth.

Oregon hung on to its 4-3 lead going into the seventh inning.

In the seventh, Gavin Grant made a spinning catch and throw to first, showing off his range and athleticism.

Andrew Mosiello came into the game at the bottom of the eighth inning. Cole Miller hit a two-run homer to bring the Huskies level. Mosiello answered with a strikeout and sent the game into the ninth. The game was tied four apiece at the end of the eighth.

Ten straight Ducks were retired as the top of the ninth came to a close.

Smith got his ninth home run to start the 10th inning, putting the Ducks ahead by 1 as Kolby Somers came to the mound to earn his third straight save in as many days.

Johnny Tincher brought the game level once again with a home run for the Huskies.

Somers later tallied a strikeout and induced a pop fly to send the game into the 11th inning.

With two outs in the 11th, Smith put the tiebreaking run into scoring position with a single. Colby Shade hit a single to right-center, driving home Grant and retaining the Ducks’ lead. Oregon headed to the bottom of the 11th with a 6-5 lead.

Christian Ciuffetelli took the mound trying to earn his first save of the season, and succeeded. A pop fly and a pair of strikeouts secured the 6-5 Oregon victory in extra innings.

Oregon baseball will look to build on its momentum to take on Portland at Joe Etzel field on April 19th.

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Apply for the 2022-2023 Erb Memorial Union Student Advisory Board!

The EMU Board is a 12-student team responsible for making policy decisions and long-range plans for the operation of the EMU. The board works with Administrative Staff to allocate the EMU’s multi-milliondollar budget, assign office space for student groups, and advise the overall management of the EMU. This is a compensated opportunity to work intimately with UO staff on a diverse set of issues including policymaking, budgeting, and program development. Board positions start at a 5 hour per week time commitment which includes 1 evening board meeting and required office hours to work on projects.

Applications are due at the end of Week 4, on April 22nd at 11:59 PM If you have any questions, please contact emuboardchair@uoregon.edu

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