Report De Bruyne out of tonightâs Napoli vs. Bologna clash
Kevin De Bruyne ruled out of tonight's Napoli vs. Bologna clash due to fitness issues.
The Oregon Ducks remain optimistic after losing a series to UCLA, despite a 6-1 lead in the final game. Coach Mark Wasikowski believes the team is more confident than ever as they approach the postseason.
After squandering a 6-1 lead on the road against the top-ranked team in the country, the average team might feel a bit down heading into the final series of the regular season.
Well, not the Oregon Ducks.
After UCLA's Dean West hit an eighth-inning grand slam, completing the comeback for the Bruins to capture a 9-6 win to clinch the series, Mark Wasikowski didn't feel down about his Ducks. Rather, there was a new sense of optimism about the team's postseason chances as the regular season winds up.
âYouâre playing the No. 1 team in the country, you have a very good chance to win two out of three on the road, and you showed a lot of character this weekend,â Wasikowski said after Sunday's loss. âI think the team walking away from this weekend is probably more confident than theyâve ever been, and very disappointed in the results. I think that puts a bow on it.â
Oregon was run-ruled embarrassingly in the series opener on Friday. Wasikowski's message to the team was simple.
"Think about this one," Wasikowski told the team after the game. "This one should hurt."
The Ducks got back on the horse the next day and dug out of another early hole to claim a 9-6 victory. It was the first loss UCLA had experienced in Big Ten play this season. Oregon leaned on its young talent again, riding a three-run blast from redshirt freshman Naulivou Lauaki Jr. to tie the game before junior center fielder Jack Brooks smacked a three-run double to complete the comeback in the eighth inning.
The Bruins returned the favor on Sunday, scoring five in the eighth and stunning the Ducks' typically stout options at the back of the bullpen. Devin Bell's lone appearance for the weekend was one to forget, as he couldn't find the third out in the frame and gave up three big runs. Tanner Bradley was masterful on Saturday night, but less so in the finale, surrendering two more scores.
The Oregon Ducks lost a series to UCLA, with the final game ending in a 9-6 defeat after leading 6-1.
Despite the loss, the Oregon Ducks felt a renewed sense of confidence about their postseason chances.
Coach Mark Wasikowski expressed optimism, stating the team showed character and is more confident than ever, despite being disappointed with the results.
The Ducks are optimistic about their postseason chances following their competitive performance against the top-ranked team.
Kevin De Bruyne ruled out of tonight's Napoli vs. Bologna clash due to fitness issues.
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Last season, the Ducks were short on established pitchers, both in the bullpen and in the rotation, when they lost both games in the Eugene Regional. This season, despite injuries, Wasikowski has more options, and both Bell and Bradley will be instrumental to Oregon's postseason success.
That confidence extends to the lineup as well. With a blend of veteran batters like Ryan Cooney and Maddox Molony and an influx of freshman talent with Brayden Jaksa and Angel Laya, who is firmly in the mix for Big Ten Freshman of the Year, the Ducks have all of their hopes and dreams in front of them.
To fully realize and reach those dreams, it starts with a big series at home against USC to finish out the regular season. Oregon is up to No. 19 in the RPI rankings, while the Trojans sit at No. 8. If the Ducks can capitalize and win the series, that will add a couple of Quad 1 wins to their resume and give the Ducks a great chance to host a regional again.
If they drop the series, buckle up. Oregon will head into the Big Ten Tournament on a mission to win it all as a final effort to host. The more likely scenario? The Ducks enter the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed and could travel into SEC territory or just an hour north if Oregon State hosts a regional in Corvallis.
Wasikowski's confidence in his dugout permeated the series, as the Ducks played with extra intensity, sashayed around the bases, and, as they came off the field between innings, led to some heated words with the Bruins.
Like it or not, that's the type of confident, swaggerful play that winning teams exhibit in this age of college baseball. The Ducks control their path to a regional in their own backyard, and they plan on solidifying those plans this coming weekend against the Trojans.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon baseball 'more confident' ahead of final regular season series