Aaron Zavala – Syndication Server

Oregon baseball signs Mark Wasikowski to contract extension

A source has confirmed to Ducks Wire that Oregon is giving baseball coach Mark Wasikowski a contract extension. Length or terms are yet to be disclosed.

Not only is it the right thing to do, but it’s the smart thing to do as well.

A source has confirmed to DucksWire that Oregon Ducks baseball coach Mark Wasikowski’s contract has been extended, but the length and terms of the new contract were not disclosed.

When Wasikowski was hired at the end of the 2019 season, the Ducks were barely mediocre, and in just two seasons, Oregon hosted an NCAA Regional and was oh so close to moving on to a Super Regional. It would have been the Ducks’ first Super Regional since 2013.

In 2019, Oregon fell to 27-29 overall and 10-19 in conference play. It was the Ducks’ fourth straight year without going to the post-season and the program wasn’t trending in the right direction. That was when Oregon decided not to renew George Horton’s contract and go in a different direction.

It didn’t take the Ducks long to find their guy as Wasikowski was hired three weeks after the 2019 season ended.

After just three seasons at the helm of Purdue’s baseball program, the former Oregon assistant turned the Boilermakers completely around and he did the exact same thing with the Ducks.

Wasikowski led Purdue to a 39-win season in 2018, leading the Boilermakers to just the third NCAA Regional appearance in school history and only the second since 1982. The Boilermakers finished second in the Big Ten regular-season while finishing as the conference tournament runner-up.

During his first season at Purdue, Wasikowski led the Boilermakers to 29 wins, a 19-win improvement from the 10-44 campaign the team had the year before his arrival.

At Oregon, Wasikowski’s team improved right away and it looked like they were going to have a nice season, but the 2020 pandemic hit, and the Ducks finished the year after only 15 games played. That improvement showed itself in a big way in 2021 as Oregon was just one game from winning its first conference title since the program’s resurrection in 2009.

The Ducks finished the regular season 39-16 and 20-10 in Pac-12 action. They featured the conference Player of the Year in Aaron Zavala and his fellow All-Americans Robert Ahlstrom and Gabe Matthews.

Wasikowski missed out on being named the Pac-12 Coach of the Year as that award went to Arizona’s Jay Johnson, who later left the Wildcats to go coach at LSU.

Along with his immediate success, Oregon didn’t want to see Wasikowski do something similar as Johnson, so the Ducks thought it would be prudent to extend his contract for another five seasons.

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Aaron Zavala named the winner of District 9 Player of the Year award

Aaron Zavala can now add the District 9 Player of the Year award to a trophy case that already includes the Pac-12 Player of the Year award as well.

The awards just keep coming in for Oregon Ducks right fielder Aaron Zavala.

The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) has named Zavala the District 9 Player of the Year. This makes him the first Oregon player to win the award. Other notable winners are Dustin Pedroia, Jered Weaver, Stephen Strasburg, Marco Gonzalez, Kris Bryant and Andrew Vaughn.

Zavala, who was named the Pac-12 Conference Player of the Year and a Collegiate Baseball second-team All-American last week, ended the season batting .392 with nine home runs, 38 runs batted in and 64 runs scored while boasting a .525 on-base percentage and a .626 slugging percentage.

He led also the Ducks in several statistical categories such as batting average, runs, hits (78), slugging percentage, walks (50), and stolen bases (11). Zavala owns the school records for on-base percentage, runs scored, and walks.

After the regular season ended, the Keizer, Ore. native ranked second in the nation in on-base percentage (.001 behind the national leader), seventh in walks, ninth in base on balls per game (0.96), and 18th in batting average. The left-handed hitter led the Pac-12 Conference in on-base percentage, walks, and walks per game, while ranking second in batting average, sixth in hits per game, and seventh in slugging percentage and hits.

Zavala proved he wasn’t just a regular-season performer as he ended the season being named to the Eugene Regional All-Tournament Team batting .333 (6-for-18) with two home runs, four RBI, and six runs scored.

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Oregon baseball takes a big step forward, but wants more in 2022

Oregon’s baseball season was a successful one, but the Ducks showed they are capable of a lot more in 2022 and beyond.

In the four seasons before Mark Wasikowski took over the Oregon Ducks baseball program, they were floundering around the .500 mark, and in college baseball, that’s mediocre.

Oregon didn’t bring baseball back in 2009 to just be mediocre.

The Ducks could see signs of the turnaround right away in 2020, but the pandemic hit and the season was canceled after just 15 games. In some strange way, it gave Oregon time off the field to go into the weight room, to recruit, and to build up everything it needed to be successful on the field.

Whatever they did, it worked. Oregon proved that the turnaround is nearly complete by being one game away from winning their first conference title and just one inning away from going to a Super Regional. Unfortunately, that one inning where a few mental lapses occurred ended the season with a 9-8 loss to LSU.

But those lapses shouldn’t define a season. Instead, Oregon should take solice in the fact it can be a successful program in many ways. Before the Ducks were offensively challenged and relied heavily on pitching and defense.

The 2021 Ducks proved there’s more than one way to skin a cat. The Ducks featured their best offensive lineup in the program’s history.

Kenyon Yovan went from one of the best pitchers in the Pac-12 to one of the best power hitters in the country with his school single-season record of 17 home runs. The senior proved PK Park can be the home of a premier power hitter and Oregon has to hope that attracts more power hitters to consider the Ducks in the future.

Recruiting homegrown talent also paid dividends. Besides Beaverton’s own Yovan, Salem’s Aaron Zavala won the Pac-12 Player of the Year. First baseman Gabe Matthews turned into a MLB prospect as well as Eugene’s own Robert Ahlstrom, the ace of the pitching staff and closer Kolby Somers from Hillsboro.

Look for Wasikowski to keep mining Oregon high schools and the Pacific Northwest. It worked for Oregon State in its national championship seasons and Oregon proved homegrown talent can help with the program’s turnaround.

No one knows what 2022 will bring to PK Park, but this season showed that Oregon can be and should be a destination for top talent. Mediocrity won’t be acceptable any more and Omaha is finally within the Ducks’ reach.

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Ducks Diamond Notebook: Two road series bring two series losses for baseball, softball

It was a tough weekend for both the Ducks baseball and softball teams as they both suffered road series losses after hot starts.

The majority of Oregon Ducks fans were focused on two things this weekend: The Spring Game, and the 2021 NFL Draft. While those two things were going on, though, both the baseball and softball teams were on the road, taking part in a couple of series that could be pivotal down the road.

Just because our eyes weren’t directly on them doesn’t mean that we will ignore the outcomes. Here is a quick breakdown of what took place for both teams over the weekend.

Baseball Drops Series to Cougars

The trip up to the Palouse and Washington State started off with a bang but ended on a big fat thud for the Oregon Ducks this past weekend.

Coming off a series win over UCLA that saw the Ducks briefly take over first place in the Pac-12 and a sweep over San Jose State, Oregon was riding sky high before its three-game set with the Cougars.

That momentum carried itself into the first game with a dominating 13-0 win over WSU. Unfortunately, Robert Ahlstrom’s excellent start wasn’t repeated on Saturday or Sunday with losses of 11-1 and 11-6, respectively.

In that opener, the Ducks bats stayed alive and they knocked starter Brandon White around. Oregon forced WSU to yank him out in the third inning with five runs to go up 5-0 early. White was finally taken out in the fourth when he gave up a double and a walk to begin the fourth.

The Ducks eventually went up 7-0 before Aaron Zavala’s home run made it 9-0 in the sixth and then Kenyon Yovan put the game away with a three-run blast to make it 12-0 in the seventh.

Ahlstrom was dominating through seven innings, scattering six hits and striking out six to improve his record to 4-3 on the season.

But the Oregon offense was shut down in Game 2 when Cougar hurler threw 7 2/3 stellar innings, giving up just a run on four hits with six strikeouts. It just wasn’t Cullen Kafka’s night as he allowed four homers in the loss.

Hoping to still win the series on Sunday, the Ducks went with Brett Walker on the hill, but after being staked to an early 2-0 lead, Walker allowed three runs in three innings. Nico Tellache had his roughest outing of the season, giving up five runs and getting just one out before being pulled.

The Ducks are now 27-11 overall and 11-7 in conference play. Oregon will have a chance to rebound this weekend when it hosts Washington, a team that’s only 17-21 overall and 3-12 in conference action.

Softball drops series to No. 12 Arizona State

The story for the Oregon Ducks softball team was eerily similar, as they began with a nice victory at No. 12 Arizona State but then lost three straight down in the desert.

In Game 1 of the series, pitcher Brooke Yanez was given a 4-1 lead into the fourth, but three homers in that frame gave the Sun Devils a 5-4 advantage. Oregon didn’t get down on itself, however. The Ducks just got to work.

Allee Bunker’s blooper to right field scored Hannah Galey to tie the game up at 5-5. It stayed that way into extras when Mya Felder’s grounder was booted and she beat out the throw to allow Terra McGowen to score the eventual winning run in the 6-5 Oregon victory.

It was home run derby on Saturday as both teams traded three-run shots in the first inning. Hannah Delgado put the Ducks (31-13, 9-9) on the board with that homer for the 3-0 lead, but ASU broke away from a 5-4 lead in the sixth to go on to win 10-4. The nightcap featured two early homers from the Devils to gup 4-0 and Oregon couldn’t muster up enough offense and eventually went down 4-1.

Hoping to salvage a series split on Sunday, the Ducks turned to Yanez, but it wasn’t her day in the circle. Oregon scored four in the second, but ASU, like they did all weekend, put a crooked number on the scoreboard with a six-spot in the third. The Sun Devils built up a 9-4 lead before Oregon scored two in the seventh, but it wasn’t enough as the Ducks went down 9-6.

It doesn’t get any easier for the softball team as they will prepare to face off with No. 9 Arizona, who come in with a 33-8 overall record and 11-5 in conference play. The series opener at Jane Sanders Stadium will be televised by ESPN2 at 4 pm.

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Oregon bats stay hot in 13-1 thumping of the Spartans

Oregon Ducks baseball stays hot with a 13-1 drubbing over San Jose State to complete the brief two-game mid-week series with the Spartans.

Unlucky 13 wasn’t so unlucky after all.

The Oregon Ducks baseball team managed to sweep the brief two-game series with San Jose State with a 13-1 beatdown over the Spartans. In the mid-week series, Oregon scored 24 runs.

Oregon’s bats didn’t wait to fall behind this afternoon as they did in the series opener as the Ducks jumped on San Jose State starter Wesley Clawson for four runs in the second inning.

After a single, double, and hit-by-pitch, Gavin Grant found himself up with the bases loaded and no one out. He proceeded then to drive in two with a double off the rightfield wall for the early 2-0 lead. Tanner Smith walked to reload the bags and Anthony Hall smacked a two-run single.

The Spartans managed to avoid a huge inning as Kenyon Yovan flew out and Zavala was coaxed into a double play to end the inning.

Oregon then put the game away in the fifth with five more runs to make it 9-0. The Ducks hit three extra-base hits in that inning, which also included three walks.

San Jose State finally got on the scoreboard when slugger Ruben Ibarra clubbed a home run to right-center. It was his sixth homer of the season and among the Spartans, the big 6-foot-5, 285-pound first baseman stood out.

But Ibarra couldn’t carry his team to a win as Oregon did a number against the San Jose State pitching staff. Not only did the Ducks score 13 runs, but they also were credited with 18 hits.

Smith went 3-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI. Zavala also had three hits and three RBI and Grant was also a perfect 3-for-3 with a trio of RBI.

In his first appearance as a Duck, pitcher Logan Mercado got the win as he threw three innings and gave up just one hit.

At 26-9 overall, Oregon will go back to Pac-12 action Friday as it goes up to the Palouse to take on Washington State for a three-game weekend series. The Cougars are currently 19-16 overall and 7-11 in conference play.

Ahlstrom dominates UCLA in key Friday night win for Ducks

Oregon Ducks ace pitcher Robert Ahlstrom retires 17 straight Bruins as Oregon holds on for a 5-3 win over UCLA in a key Friday night win.

Fingernails might be at a premium at PK Park if the opener against UCLA is any indication.

Oregon Ducks starter Robert Ahlstrom retired 17 straight Bruins and then Kolby Somers came on to earn his seventh save in the 5-3 victory.

At one point this was a pitcher’s duel as UCLA hurler Zach Pettway was dealing right with Ahlstrom. He was ahead 1-0 through five innings, but the Ducks cracked the scoreboard with a run in the sixth and four more in the seventh to go up 5-1.

Kenyon Yovan gave Oregon the lead with a double to right-center and later Sam Novitske made it 4-1 Ducks with a two-run single that scored Yovan and Aaron Zavala. Oregon scored one more run thanks to a fielding error.

Ahlstrom (3-3) was in cruise control and was looking for the complete game. But UCLA got to Oregon’s ace in the ninth with three straight hits and a run. That prompted Oregon coach Mark Wasikowski to call on Somers out of the bullpen.

After a walk to load the bases and bringing the go-ahead run to the plate, Somers buckled down for a strikeout, a fielder’s choice, and a groundout to finish off the Bruins.

With the win, the Ducks move to 23-8 overall and 9-4 in conference action. Oregon is now one game behind Oregon State and alone in second place.

The No. 13 Ducks and Bruins will meet for Game 2 of the series Saturday afternoon at 2 pm with Cullen Kafta (4-1, 2.44 ERA) on the mound.