3-18-24 Emerald Media Group - Duck Season

Duck Season

FINISHING PLATE their FINISHING PLATE

Mark Wasikowski says Oregon baseball has left too much on the table recently

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Duck Season 2024

Duck Season, the Emerald’s quarterly sports magazine, is published by Emerald Media Group Inc., the independent nonprofit news company at the University of Oregon. Formerly the Oregon Daily Emerald, the news organization was founded in 1900.

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ON THE COVER

Jacob Walsh (25) is called safe at second after extending a single. The Oregon baseball team defeated Lafayette College 17-3 in Game 1 of the series at PK Park in Eugene, Ore., on Feb. 23, 2024. (Kai Kanzer/Emerald)

Oregon’s designated hitter Jeffery Heard (35) prepares to take the plate. Oregon Baseball took on UC Santa Barbara at PK Park in Eugene, on March 3, 2024. (Eddie Bruning/Emerald)

Table of

CONTENTS CONTENTS

4

Taylour Spencer lights a spark Baseball beats

Ducks softball is “hungry” Carlson raises the game

Softball’s need for speed

88

High standards for Oregon baseball

1313 14 14 Softball offense improving

Mercado honors heritage

PITCHING LOUDER THAN EVER, TAYLOUR SPENCER BREAKS OUT FOR OREGON

SPENCER TAYLOUR

DESIGNED BY EVA ANDREWS BY JOE KRASNOWSKI

The true freshman’s energy is leading her hot start

Dr. Dre’s “Keep Their Heads Ringin’” is a fitting choice for Taylour Spencer’s warm-up song, because the true freshman is one loud pitcher.

The shrieks after a strikeout, the yells after a big play, the smacks of her glove when she’s fired up — it’s how she expresses herself, and sparks a veteran team with Softball World Series hopes.

It’s how she always has.

“It kinda started with just the excitement, it’s something that I’ve picked up through my career, kinda always being known for yelling, fist-pumping,” Spencer said. “I think it helps me in my game, and I think my team feeds off of that, and it helps just keep the energy up.”

Growing up in Murrieta, California, far from the superpowers of the Pacific Coast, Spencer saw a mixed bag of competition with most of the tougher competition she faced coming in summer tournaments with her travel-ball team.

At one of those summer tournaments, Oregon spotted Spencer’s enthusiasm and energy and made her a scholarship offer. In September 2021, Spencer committed to her “dream school.”

After dominating lesser competition throughout the fall, Spencer was thrown into the fire right away, but turned heads, throwing over 40 innings to the tune of a 1.89 ERA.

But was she surprised?

Without hesitation, “no,” she answered.

“I trust in my preparation, and in my hard work,” Spencer said. “I’ve always been confident in myself and in my abilities, so going out there and just trusting what I do, it doesn’t really surprise me how I perform.”

Head coach Melyssa Lombardi has kept putting her in, and Spencer has kept delivering.

“I think of pressure as a privilege. That’s something where I come from, that’s something I take pride in,” Spencer said. “The first time [I was] a little nervous, but knowing I have people who believe in me, I have a coach who believes in me, I have teammates who believe in me, that’s helped me a lot. It helps me be who I am on the mound.”

That belief, as well as Spencer’s cited bond between her and catcher Emma Kauf, have been instrumental behind Spencer’s

hot start, at a 1.75 era in 17 outings on the young year.

“She’s a competitor,” Lombardi said of Spencer. “She’s handled herself really well. I felt like even when we were recruiting her she was very composed and had a competitive spirit.”

In any interview with any player or coach, the words “competitor” and “toughness” are a near guarantee to be said regarding Spencer.

Although dominant in non-conference play, Spencer’s Pac-12 debut didn’t go as planned, allowing three runs in 1.1 innings in an uncharacteristically poor outing. Mere hours later, she got her redemption.

Entering with the bases loaded and two outs, Spencer was nailed in a clutch situation getting Cal’s hitter to fly out to end the inning — and you bet she was fired up.

Two innings later she allowed two runners to get on via base hits, before another clutch strikeout. Bouncing up and down in excitement before chest-pumping with Kauf, “fired up” doesn’t even begin to describe her reaction.

“Sometimes you just have to have a short memory [after a tough outing],” Lombardi said post-game. “She did a good job just resetting.”

Tough situations kept coming for Spencer, and she kept producing. The next inning, runners were on the corners and yet again, she delivered. In the bottom half of the inning, Val Wong hit a walk-off double, giving Spencer her fifth win of the season.

“She’s not fearful of anything,” Lombardi said. “She embraces the moment.”

Oregon’s season will likely be determined by its veteran corps of eight seniors, but the true-freshman has stolen the show early.

“Taylour has a lot of energy, I love to see her use it,” catcher Val Wong said. “It fires us all up … I love it.”

The Ducks will need it, as a somewhat sluggish start leaves them needing every win they can get, especially in an ultra-competitive Pac-12.

“It’s amazing having her out there,” outfielder Ariel Carlson said. “When she’s excited, it’s so easy to keep the momentum on our side.”

Taylour Spencer loves pitching. Oregon fans — and her teammates — can hear it.

Taylour Spencer (19) waits for the next inning to begin. (Alyssa Garcia/Emerald)

LOMBARDI’S “HUNGRY” DUCKS

AFTER A HEARTBREAKING FINISH TO WHAT WAS A TREMENDOUS RUN, OREGON SOFTBALL MOVES ONTO A NEW SEASON WITH A NEW IDENTITY

After an incredible run at the end of last season that saw the Ducks secure a berth in the super-regionals, they brought a fire that head coach Melyssa Lombardi has been trying to fuel. In her six seasons coaching the Ducks, she has never had a squad with this much hype and excitement surrounding it.

After a wondrous run in the Pac-12 tournament and an incredible upset in Arkansas against the Razorbacks, Oregon’s red-hot bats carried it to a super-regional matchup with the Oklahoma State Cowgirls.

The Ducks would not be as fortunate in Stillwater, with their fire being extinguished by the suffocating Cowgirls defense.

“This team is hungry, this team does not like that we were two games away last year,” Lombardi said earlier this season. “Last year’s standard was high, [and] this year’s standard is even higher.”

The most notable difference between the two rosters is the lack of two of Oregon’s most productive players ever — Terra McGowan and Allee Bunker.

“When Bunk [sic] and Terra were here, [other players] had particular roles as leaders, more of a show by example,” Lombardi said to GoDucks. “You will probably hear more from Tehya [Bird] and hear more from some others this year because we lost two vocal leaders.”

The Ducks opened their Pac-12 schedule this past weekend, taking two out of three games against No. 15 Cal.

What has shined through in the

BY JACK LAZARUS DESIGNED BY ADALEAH CARMAN

in and do your part,” Lombardi said. Spencer has been Oregon’s difference-maker this season on the mound, and is currently second on the team in ERA at 1.75. Spencer also allows the fewest baserunners, posting a WHIP of 1.17 –lowest on the team. Her 5-1 record is nothing to balk at, and with Oregon starting to pick up steam as conference play gets going, Spencer will be a reliable ace that the Ducks will need in a deeply talented Pac-12. While it wasn’t the start it hoped for, Oregon has started to settle into the season much more and is starting to make its case for one of

Replacing the tremendous boost given by those leaders is something Lombardi admits may not be possible, but the Ducks can only do their best to pick up the pieces.

Oregon began the spring season being ranked No. 13 in the initial rankings. However, the Ducks currently rank outside the top 25 with a 14-9 record.

new period in the Lombardi era.

Oregon has also been an impressive team defensively, recovering from its thrashings in Stillwater, which included 9-0 and 8-1 losses.

One of the most notable additions has come from an outstanding freshman pitcher in Taylour Spencer.

“We have one freshman in Taylour Spencer, which I think is great. She doesn’t have to come in as a freshman and take on this major load, just come

the best teams in the conference. At the same time, the Ducks are beginning to discover their identity: a hard-nosed defensive team that rules the base path on the other side of the game.

The 2024 iteration of Oregon softball is starting to find its groove, and it is on a warpath to get to Oklahoma City this year.

“Ariel Carlson (3) swings at the ball pitched by Courtney Wyche (42). The Oregon softball team came out on top in its second game against Maryland 4-2 in the Jane Sanders Classic hosted in Eugene, Ore., on March 2, 2024, at Jane Sanders Stadium. (Alyssa Garcia/Emerald)

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SPEED NEED FOR

Oregon softball finds itself faster than ever — and it’ll need that speed for the Ducks to achieve their lofty goals

When Oregon softball head coach Melyssa Lombardi told the Daily Emerald earlier this season that “this is probably the fastest team I’ve ever had,” it seemed apt.

It’s one of those stats that passes the eye test as much as the math backs it up, and her team has proven itself worthy of that moniker in 2024. The Ducks’ Kai Luschar leads the conference in stolen bases (16) and five others find themselves in the top 25 this season, but they also constantly look for the opportunity to do so. It hasn’t been to the tune of scoreboardbusting wins, yet, but the signs of a trump card are visible in Eugene.

The impact of that speed has been dampened so far this season, as Oregon’s offense has struggled its way through play early in the year. Seven times, it failed to score more than two runs. Those games came against good teams — No. 5 Clemson amongst them — but those are the teams that Oregon must beat in order to reach its full potential.

Also important is how unique that advantage is. No school save for Arizona State has as many players in the top 25 for stolen bases. “They can just make something out of nothing,” Lombardi said. “I love how aggressive everybody is on the basepaths.”

But if Oregon’s team is to rise out of a fiercely competitive Pac-12 conference — five West Coast schools appeared in ESPN’s preseason top 25 and two others received votes — it

BY OWEN MURRAY • DESIGNED BY GABRIELA MARTINEZ

must rely on that facet of its offense.

“You can just tell that the other team gets nervous when most of our team gets on base because we all create chaos,” Luschar told GoDucks after Oregon’s 5-2, series-clinching win over No. 15 Cal on March 9.

2015, when another Duck, Janie Takeda, stole 35 bases on 38 attempts.

“I don’t really notice,” Luschar said. “But I want to get one stolen base a game.”

Lombardi is more than aware of the impact that her team’s speed can have on each game.

“One thing that we do know is that we have speed, so how are we going to use [it]?” the sixth-year head coach told GoDucks. “When it’s driving somebody in and using our speed to run around the bases but then also too if we do have to go to small ball then we have the speed to do that as well.”

Ranked outside the national top 25 for the first time since 2019 headed into the Pac-12 opening series against the Golden Bears, that speed looked like the spark that could light a fire under Oregon’s seniors. Despite making a run to the Super Regional last season, there’s the idea that this team will look very different next year: nine of the currently rostered players are either fourth or fifth-year seniors.

That focus on what they call chaos is truly organized in a program-wide message — through the players, and through the coaches, who are on the lookout for any opportunity to grab an extra bag.

“In the beginning of the year, it was my goal to get a certain amount of stolen bases. We’re getting there,” Luschar told GoDucks.

Luschar’s goal? 35 bags — more than her totals in 2023 (14) and 2022 (7) combined. That number would be the most since

Those stolen bases, no matter how or when they occur, are vestiges of a waning edge that the Ducks have. With an relentless conference slate ahead of them, it’ll be on the small things — the unique things — to push them back towards the heights that they claim they can reach. It’s not stressful; “It’s fun,” Luschar said, but that will be something — maybe the most important thing — that they lean on this year.

Oregon’s Alyssa Daniell (10) rounds second base, heading for third. The Oregon softball team took a 5-2 win as it faced off against the UC Berkeley Golden Bears at Jane Saunders Stadium on March 9, 2024. (Alex Hernandez/Emerald)

DUCKS BASEBALL SEEKS TO MEET HIGH STANDARDS

Oregon is looking to maintain its momentum after an incredible 2023 season

BY BRADY RUTH • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART

A season ago, Oregon baseball had one of its best seasons in program history. A tremendous campaign that saw the Ducks go 41-22 made 2023 a year to remember.

It could have been seen as a Cinderella story — especially when noticing the Ducks lost eight of their final 11 regular season games — but that team was built for success.

Oregon got hot at the right time, winning the Pac-12 Tournament, sweeping the Nashville Region of the NCAA Tournament and earning a hosting bid for an NCAA Super Regional.

The Ducks were two outs away from Omaha, where they would have competed in the College World Series.

After winning the first game of the Super Regional, Oregon had a

one-run lead in the 9th, when Oral Roberts rallied to beat the Ducks by a run. Oral Roberts took game three, shocking a sold-out PK Park, eliminating Oregon and leaving head coach Mark Wasikowski’s team reflecting on what could have been.

“It just tells us there’s more work to be done,” Wasikowski said after the final loss of the season. “We made tremendous progress. No, we didn’t get to Omaha this year. It wasn’t in the cards. It wasn’t what was supposed to happen with this group.”

The Ducks aren’t satisfied. They aren’t finished. They’re back for more.

This season, however, Oregon baseball looks very different.

The Ducks lost a lot of talent between graduations, draftees and transfers. The players that accounted for 484 of the team’s 646 hits (74.9%), 72 of the 101 home runs (71.3%) and

352 of the 451 (78%) total runs scored in 2023 aren’t on the roster in 2024.

That’s a whole lot of production to replace. But last year’s team built momentum — and awareness for a program on the rise.

They were presented with a chance to open the season against a string of talented teams at the Shriners Children’s College Showdown in Arlington, Texas. It was an invitation, Wasikowski commented, that served as a nod to the direction the program is heading.

Down in the Lone Star State, Oregon went 2-1 with wins over Baylor and Oklahoma — two Power 5 programs from the south. The Ducks’ only loss came 11-7 to No. 18 Texas Tech.

It was a strong start — especially

Oregon’s Bryce Boettcher (28) fist bumps the first base coach after hitting a double in the bottom of the second inning. Oregon baseball took on UC Santa Barbara at PK Park in Eugene, Ore., on March 3, 2024. (Eddie Bruning/Emerald)

for a team with so many new faces. But Wasikowski and his squad still weren’t satisfied.

“You can’t complain about being 2-1,” Wasikowski said after the Texas trip. “But I think the team felt like we left some on the table. I think they left the tournament disappointed that they didn’t win the tournament and feeling as though they could have done that for sure.”

His voice was echoed by his team. Infielders Carter Garate and Ryan Cooney both admitted to expecting more from the squad’s hot start.

“This lineup has the potential to be one of the best in the country,“ Garate said. “We didn’t perform fantastically [in Texas] as much as we wanted to. But I think there were definitely bright spots where you can see we’re going to be pretty darn good.”

“I think I have a lot to improve on,” Cooney said. “But you know, that’s baseball.”

The offense exploded during the home-opening weekend in a fourgame series that saw the Ducks outscore Lafayette 51-13. Still, the standard is higher. Even after a 17-3 win in the first game of the series, Wasikowski wasn’t overly pleased.

“I thought we were fine tonight,” Wasikowski said. “I wouldn’t say it was an awesome performance, but it was probably a solid ‘B’ performance throughout.”

The classic college slogan says “Cs get degrees.” It’ll be fascinating to see what accolades a team whose “B” night features 17 runs can accomplish in a full season.

Between series, leaving things on the table isn’t an overly discussed theme. But everyone knows it’s there.

“We don’t talk a lot about it,” Wasikowski said. “We just try to get better today and keep focused on that. But it’s something that we feel and I’m sure the guys will probably tell you that they feel that.”

That’s not a bad mindset to be floating around a clubhouse. The “never satisfied, always improve” theme has worked for countless athletic squads in the past.

But how does a team with so many new, inexperienced faces — Oregon’s roster features 13 freshmen — replace and play like the squad of vets that last year’s team was?

Wasikowski calls it “playing old.”It’s a measurement of how poised the team looks. It’s become the expectation, he says, and it has several components.

“Acting like you’ve been there before,” Wasikowski said. “Acting like you’re not amazed when stuff happens. That you expect it. ”

Which one will the Ducks be as conference play rolls on? Will glimpses of last year’s maturity show in this young core’s excitement? Or is a whole new brand of ball in the works at PK Park?

Entering Pac-12 play, Oregon is 9-3. The only losses have come to quality opponents — UC Santa Barbara and Texas Tech — both of whom have been ranked at some point in the young season. The Ducks have also boasted some impressive wins: one each over Baylor, Oklahoma and UCSB as well as a two-game sweep of Grand Canyon University — typically one of the better teams in the Western Athletic Conference.

Through 12 games, Oregon is averaging 9.25 runs per game. It’s a stat that’s certainly boosted by the mismatch of a series that Lafayette turned out to be. But it’s a stat that, should it hold, would see the Ducks in contention for another Pac-12 Tournament run and potentially host rounds of the NCAA Tournament at the

end of the season.

“I did tell [former athletic director] Pat Kilkenny in this room that if I get the chance to be the head coach at this great institution, we’ll get to Omaha or I’ll die trying,” Wasikwoski said at the end of last season. “I stand behind those words. We will get there.”

Wasikowski prophesied a return. As Pac-12 play begins, it’s time to see if it can become reality.

As the young season has demonstrated, Omaha could be on the table for this season’s team. But it’ll take everyone finishing their plate to make it happen.

Drew Smith (left) and Jeffery Heard (right) each score to help the Ducks avoid a threegame sweep. The Oregon Ducks baseball team defeated UC Santa Barbara 16-9 in Game 3 of the series at PK Park in Eugene, Ore., on March 3, 2024. (Kai Kanzer/Emerald)

BASEBALL BEATS

How walk-up songs get Oregon players in their home run rhythm

BY RUBY WOOL • DESIGNED BY EVA ANDREWS

When people think of baseball, they often think of peanuts, the seventh-inning stretch and rally caps. But what about walk-up music? Baseball is more than just boys and bats; it’s about the background beats that give fans a sense of a player’s individual biography. Walk-up songs, which are a reserved right of the home team, play an instrumental role in getting Oregon baseball players in their home run rhythm.

“I found that sticking to my Latino roots and choosing a song that showcases my background gets me in a comfort zone and gives me poise at the plate,” Carter Garate, Oregon’s sophomore shortstop, said.

Garate, whose batting average is 0.353, queues up “Monaco” by Bad Bunny on Friday and keeps the Spanish music playing through Saturday when he walks up to “Por Mi Mexico” by Lefty SM featuring Santa Fe Klan. The latter “is a bit more personal than the others,” Garate said, because it was introduced to him by a family member this past winter break in Mexico.

This season, the crowd in PK Park can hear everything from reggaeton to hip-hop to country and more. Each Duck player gets to determine three songs to add to the team’s spring playlist: one for Friday, one for Saturday and one for Sunday.

While Garate likes listening to lyrics that connect to his home and heritage, catcher Anson Aroz prefers songs with strong beat drops and instrumentals.

On a Friday, the country-loving Californian comes up to bat with Chris Stapleton’s “Midnight Train to Memphis.” He then vibes out to the rhythm of “Rub a Dub Mood” by O.B.F. featuring Sr. Wilson on Saturday. On Sunday, he nods his head to the sounds of BigXthaPlug’s “Rock & Roll.”

“I’m really picky about choosing songs,” Aroz said. “It’s a long process of constantly listening to music and liking certain tracks on Spotify. Basically, I don’t decide until the due date.”

The pressure is on to choose wisely, as players are permitted to switch up only one song during the season.

While many players appeal to the crowd through pop culture tunes, like outfielder Bryce Boettcher’s song “Boombastic” by Shaggy, other players do not conform to the audience’s interests and instead play music that helps them focus.

Justin Cassella, a senior outfielder for the Ducks, said, “Although I want to pick some crowd favorites, it doesn’t really work with my vibe. I need to stay calm at the plate.”

It comes down to whatever works for the player and helps ease the nerves.

For junior Jacob Walsh, the songs that set him straight at the plate are “Turn on the Lights” by Future, “Money Trees”

by Kendrick Lamar featuring Jay Rock and “Let It Rock” by Kevin Rudolf featuring Lil Wayne.

He said the first has a “great bass,” the second, “is just an all-time classic song” and the third gets him “in the right mood to hit the ball hard.” Walsh is fourth all-time at Oregon in home runs and needs just six more to set a new school career home run record. Following the Lafayette series, the first baseman secured a spot within the top 10 in doubles and moved into the top 10 in RBI against Grand Canyon University.

Throughout the season and even after it ends, fans and players begin to associate specific songs with certain players.

Bennett Thompson is doing a Colter Wall song for the second year in a row, and according to Aroz, “that’s become his song now.” In the past, Aroz also said Tanner Smith doing a Dua Lipa song was “memorable,” and Anthony Hall’s picks

Mason Neville (26) steps into the batters box in the bottom of the first. Oregon baseball took on UC Santa Barbara at PK Park in Eugene, on March 3, 2024. (Eddie Bruning/Emerald)

RAISING HER GAME

SENIOR OUTFIELDER ARIEL CARLSON IS AT THE CENTER OF OREGON SOFTBALL’S RECENT SUCCESS

Oregon softball stormed the diamond in joy when it defeated No. 11 Arkansas for the second time last May. After several seasons full of hard work, it finally advanced to a Super Regional. At the center of the celebration was the player who hit the walk-off grand slam — senior outfielder Ariel Carlson.

Carlson has been a key contributor for the Ducks in each of the last few seasons. She may not garner as much recognition as former stars Allee Bunker and Terra McGowan did, but she’s been just as important to the team’s identity in the past five years.

Carlson entered the program in 2020 following a successful high school career. The hometown athlete quickly became a fan favorite. Carlson came from Marist High School in Eugene where she won the Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year award twice. Carlson was part of the first recruiting class that came in under head coach Melyssa Lombardi, who took over in 2018.

improve her game all around. In her junior season, she recorded a career-high 42 RBIs and made one of the biggest jumps in home run production in the nation.

And she’s only gotten better. Carlson finished the 2023 season with a massive showing in the Ducks’ Fayetteville Regional. She hit .636 with two homers and 10 RBIs. In the Regional Final against

BY LILY CRANE DESIGNED BY ADALEAH CARMAN

Carlson is having a strong start to the season once again for the Ducks. Through the first conference series against Cal, she already has six home runs and 25 RBIs on a .369 batting average. She was named Pac-12 Player of the Week after a 10 RBI weekend in the NFCA Leadoff Classic at the start of the season.

It hasn’t been an ideal start for the Ducks as a whole, however. They lost multiple games in each of their first three tournaments and went 12-8 in non-conference play. They won their first series against Cal, but the road ahead doesn’t get any easier.

Now in her fifth season with the Ducks, Carlson’s play is just as important as ever. Her leadership and hot bat are both needed on a young team that’s now without Bunker and McGowan.

“She just takes a big swing at the plate and makes it look so effortless,” Lombardi said during preseason media day. “It’s been really, really awesome to watch her come in as a freshman and then be here as a super senior, as a leader.”

Every season Carlson manages to raise her batting average and

the Razorbacks, she tied the program record for RBIs in an NCAA Tournament game with seven and hit the walk-off grand slam.

“I grew up watching Oregon softball. I grew up watching [former assistant coach Nikki] Ragin play, all of my favorite players and it was a dream to be able to come here,” Carlson said after advancing to the Super Regional. “I wanted to be able to do it for the girls after me and then for my girls that I’m playing around every single day.”

Oregon ended up falling to Oklahoma State in the Super Regional, but it went further than it ever had under Lombardi. Carlson’s clutch postseason performance was a big part of that.

“When you look at the Pac-12 as a whole it can be very daunting,” Carlson said prior to the start of conference play. “But when you break it up into small, manageable chunks it’s a lot easier.”

Regardless of whether or not Oregon is able to successfully build on its 2023 season, Carlson’s exit from the program signifies the end of an era. The Ducks have nine seniors on the roster, including Carlson. The upcoming years will be a changing of the guard for the program.

“Half our team is old and half our team is young,” Lombardi said in the preseason. “I think our seniors have done a great job of bridging that gap with the young ones. They’re forcing our young athletes to play at a high level, regardless of whether they like to or not, and that’s going to go a long way for us.”

Before long, Oregon will send off another one of its all-time greats. First, it has its eyes set on another deep postseason run and potentially winning the final Pac-12 Tournament.

Ariel Carlson (3) catches a pop fly. The Oregon softball team came out on top in its second game against Maryland 4-2 in the Jane Sanders Classic hosted in Eugene, Ore., on March 2, 2024, at Jane Sanders Stadium. (Alyssa Garcia/Emerald)

OREGON SOFTBALL’S OFFENSE IMPROVES AFTER A SLOW START

BY JOE MOORE • DESIGNED BY GABRIELA MARTINEZ

The Oregon Ducks softball team has started their season off with a 14-9 record, a step down from what was expected after being ranked No. 13 heading into the season. However, the Ducks were able to start to turn around their slow start with a series win against the No. 15 Cal Golden Bears 2-1 to start off Pac-12 conference play.

Despite the strong wins, Oregon still finds itself on the outside of the top 25 looking in. A large part of the underwhelming start has been the Ducks’ offense struggling out of the gate. So far this season, Oregon has averaged 5.3 runs per game throughout its first 23 games. However, that number is inflated by five games that have been won on a run-rule, all of which came in non-conference play. The Ducks have been shut out four times already this season, severely hurting their offensive numbers.

Once Oregon is on base, its runners have proven themselves more than capable of creating plays on their own. Despite many one hit innings hurting the overall offensive production for the Ducks, stolen bases have helped them make up the difference and make it easier to score with low hit totals. Kai Luschar, who has totaled 18 stolen bases already this season, leads the Pac-12 in stolen bases. She has been the main contributor in helping Oregon to its

The Ducks have been able to improve their offensive production heading into the start of conference play

base and create plays.

The Oregon offense picked up its play in the recent series against Cal. The Golden Bears came into the series with a 20-2 record, including a win over No. 6 Georgia. The Ducks were able to pick up a pair of wins over Cal with the offense being a major part of those wins. Oregon scored 14 runs combined between the three games. The two games the Ducks won were low scoring, but they were able to do just enough on offense to come away with a pair of wins.

Oregon’s problem seems to be getting on base. The Ducks rank sixth out of the nine Pac-12 teams in on base percentage and hitting percentage, as well as seventh in times being walked. There have been multiple games this season where Oregon has not been able to get enough runners on base to threaten scoring plays, leading to low scores in the game. The Ducks’ offense has been plagued by one hit innings early in the season, forcing them to leave runners on base all too often.

first place ranking in the Pac-12 in total bases stolen with 47 so far. Her ability to get on base, partnered with her stellar baserunning, has helped the Ducks’ offense stay afloat when other methods are not working. Her position as the leadoff hitter for Oregon has given the Ducks a major advantage due to her ability to get on

The hitting of the Ducks leaves some to be desired. The non-conference slate was uninspiring in that aspect, and that was reflected in the disappointing record. However, there have been glimpses throughout that show there is another level to be unlocked. Oregon has been able to take care of business against lesser opponents, often with dominating offensive performances. The Cal series was the first major showing from the offense against a high-level opponent.

The rest of the season for the Ducks will be about proving that their preseason ranking was accurate and this early slate has been just a blip. There have been major signs of improvement so far in the short season, and Oregon will have to continue to improve on the offensive side of the ball as the season progresses in order to regain its spot among the top teams in the nation.

Paige Sinicki (38) goes for a bunt. The Oregon softball team came out on top in its second game against Maryland 4-2 in the Jane Sanders Classic hosted in Eugene, Ore., on March 2, 2024, at Jane Sanders Stadium. (Alyssa Garcia/Emerald)

PROTECTING MORE THAN OREGON BASEBALL’S CULTURE

NINA-GRACE MONTES DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART

Outside of PK Park, there’s a poster of each player. Each picture is an action shot of each athlete doing what they do best.

But for senior right-hand reliever Logan Mercado, it’s more than a photo of him pitching. In the middle of his leg kick, his glove covers the lower half of his face. His focused gaze on the catcher isn’t what stands out. It’s the small, yet bold Mexican flag patch near the web of his glove.

After Oregon baseball’s first Pac-12 title in program history and hosting the Super Regionals last season, the Ducks have been focused on protecting the culture. For Mercado, that slogan means more than the field. It’s about honoring his family’s heritage and contributing to the future of the game in any way he can.

On his dad’s side, Mercado’s family roots go back to Mexico. While it’s still unknown the specifics of where and how they got there, he’s spending his free time from baseball learning about his heritage.

“This year especially I’ve been learning a lot more about my family heritage,” Mercado said. “I got to see my family from my dad’s side a couple weeks ago in Texas [for the Shriners Children’s College Showdown] and I kept asking him questions. I got a lot of pictures and documents, it’s pretty cool.”

When Mercado first started playing baseball at two years old, it was his dad who introduced him to the sport. He doesn’t come from a family of athletes and he’s the first to make it this far. His

dad emphasized the importance of giving it your all.

“He always wanted me to give 100% in everything,” Mercado said. “Whether it’s baseball, school, friendships, relationships or anything at all, he always inspires me every day, just by the way he works.”

In Hispanic culture, close family relationships are one of the biggest traditions. His freshman year of high school at Tri-Cities Prep, his older brother Trent played on the same team for the first time. While Trent was pitching, Mercado would be playing third. They ended that season with a state championship.

“It was pretty special for our family,” Mercado said. “My parents got to see their two sons go at it together and we ended up having a very, very good season.”

Community is also a big part of Hispanic culture. Being able to give back to the people who invested in you is always the goal.

Growing up, Mercado looked forward to watching Team Mexico at the World Baseball Classic. The 2023 team was his favorite to watch, because they were “flashy and fundamental.” It was also the best that the country had ever performed in the tournament. Before 2023, they had never been a top-four team. They finished third behind the United States and Japan.

“It’s cool to see Mexican baseball players make it that far,” Mercado said. “They made their countryproud. It was pretty cool being a Mexican baseball player at that time.”

While he’s waiting for the World Baseball Classic to come back in 2026, he hopes to devote himself to the future of baseball after his time at Oregon.

After he takes baseball as far as he can, Mercado wants to give back to his hometown in Pasco, Wash. because of its heavy Hispanic population — well over 50 percent — and baseball is starting to grow in that area.

“I really want to coach,” Mercado said. “But, ultimately I’m gonna go back home and give back whatI was given because I was very fortunate to be in the position I was in and I had a lot of good people around me. I want to give back to the Hispanic community and anyone who helped me get to where I am today.”

As the Ducks look to add on to the success they had last season by protecting the culture, Mercado is protecting his own. The small patch symbolizes his family, community and the next generation of Mexican baseball players. When fans glance at the photos outside of PK Park, they won’t just see a versatile pitcher who transitioned from the starting rotation to the bullpen, but a player who carries his heritage with every pitch.

Senior pitcher Logan Mercado honors his Mexican heritage, starting with a patch on his glove

Logan Mercado pitches during the 4th inning against UC Santa Barbara. UC Santa Barbara defeated the Oregon baseball team 7-3 in Game 2 of the series at PK Park in Eugene, Ore., on March 2, 2024. (Kai Kanzer/Emerald)

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