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Even though PK Park might not be filled to the brim throughout the regular season, when May rolls around, the stands get increasingly crowded.
The Oregon Ducks, across multiple sports, are known for their rowdy and passionate fans. Now, Oregon baseball coach Mark Wasikowski wants to take advantage of that edge in a massive series against the USC Trojans.
A regional round in Eugene could be on the line, with the Ducksfirmly on the bubble to host in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. A series victory over the Trojans, who are No. 8 in the RPI rankings, could be enough to push the Ducks over.
Wasikowski wants to create a big-game environment that he knows is possible. In the fall, PK Park sits in the shadow of Autzen Stadium, where Wasikowski has seen first-hand how impactful Eugene's faithful can be on the outcome of a competitive game.
"Do what you can to be a difference at PK Park," Wasikowski said in a press conference on Wednesday. "You see it at Autzen Stadium. You see teams come into Autzen Stadium, and the fans just dominate them. The fans take it into their own hands. They make sure there are false starts, whatever the penalites are. They make a difference in the game ... That's the best thing they can do at PK Park."
The responsibilities of a crowd are a bit different around the diamond than they are on the gridiron. While Oregon fans know to get loud on third down to slow down or confuse an opposing offense, baseball is all about concentration on both offense and defense.
To break that concentration, Wasikowski urges the fans to take advantage of the small moments when the action is stopped.
"In baseball, those timeouts are the time that you can intimidate an opposing team," Wasikowski said. "Those need to be some of the loudest times. During the timeouts should be a point of emphasis for fans. That's actually the time to really rise up and get on somebody. A pitching coach goes to the mound, that type of stuff. That's when you can really make a difference in the outcome of a game and affect the visiting team's mentality."
Oregon saw the impacts of a feisty crowd last weekend in Los Angeles, as the sold-out UCLA crowd energized the Bruins' dugout between innings, which led to some words being exchanged between both teams. That aggression can be a blessing to boost a team's confidence, but a curse as well if it goes too far.
The Trojans, despite being third in the Big Ten standings and having a 41-12 record this season, have struggled when caught in tough situations. USC is 0-8 against Quad 1 teams and 9-11 on the road this season. USC is riding a seven-game win streak into Eugene, but they have been swept on the road by UCLA and Nebraska this season.
A raucous environment has thrown the Trojans off balance before, and Wasikowski has noticed.
"The last time USC really struggled, they got swept at Nebraska, and it was because the Nebraska fans were A-plus-plus," Wasikowski said. "I guess there's your challenge, Oregon baseball fans. Are you better than Nebraska fans? Nebraska fans are really, really good, so they were able to have a real positive effect on their team in that series in Lincoln. That should be one of the objectives of our fans this weekend."
Oregon will get a chance to pack the stands and make an impact as the Ducks hunt a critical series win. The Ducks will begin the series against the Trojans on Thursday, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. PST.
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Mark Wasikowski calls for Oregon fans to 'be a difference' against USC
Continue reading...
The Oregon Ducks, across multiple sports, are known for their rowdy and passionate fans. Now, Oregon baseball coach Mark Wasikowski wants to take advantage of that edge in a massive series against the USC Trojans.
A regional round in Eugene could be on the line, with the Ducksfirmly on the bubble to host in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. A series victory over the Trojans, who are No. 8 in the RPI rankings, could be enough to push the Ducks over.
Wasikowski wants to create a big-game environment that he knows is possible. In the fall, PK Park sits in the shadow of Autzen Stadium, where Wasikowski has seen first-hand how impactful Eugene's faithful can be on the outcome of a competitive game.
"Do what you can to be a difference at PK Park," Wasikowski said in a press conference on Wednesday. "You see it at Autzen Stadium. You see teams come into Autzen Stadium, and the fans just dominate them. The fans take it into their own hands. They make sure there are false starts, whatever the penalites are. They make a difference in the game ... That's the best thing they can do at PK Park."
The responsibilities of a crowd are a bit different around the diamond than they are on the gridiron. While Oregon fans know to get loud on third down to slow down or confuse an opposing offense, baseball is all about concentration on both offense and defense.
To break that concentration, Wasikowski urges the fans to take advantage of the small moments when the action is stopped.
"In baseball, those timeouts are the time that you can intimidate an opposing team," Wasikowski said. "Those need to be some of the loudest times. During the timeouts should be a point of emphasis for fans. That's actually the time to really rise up and get on somebody. A pitching coach goes to the mound, that type of stuff. That's when you can really make a difference in the outcome of a game and affect the visiting team's mentality."
Oregon saw the impacts of a feisty crowd last weekend in Los Angeles, as the sold-out UCLA crowd energized the Bruins' dugout between innings, which led to some words being exchanged between both teams. That aggression can be a blessing to boost a team's confidence, but a curse as well if it goes too far.
The Trojans, despite being third in the Big Ten standings and having a 41-12 record this season, have struggled when caught in tough situations. USC is 0-8 against Quad 1 teams and 9-11 on the road this season. USC is riding a seven-game win streak into Eugene, but they have been swept on the road by UCLA and Nebraska this season.
A raucous environment has thrown the Trojans off balance before, and Wasikowski has noticed.
"The last time USC really struggled, they got swept at Nebraska, and it was because the Nebraska fans were A-plus-plus," Wasikowski said. "I guess there's your challenge, Oregon baseball fans. Are you better than Nebraska fans? Nebraska fans are really, really good, so they were able to have a real positive effect on their team in that series in Lincoln. That should be one of the objectives of our fans this weekend."
Oregon will get a chance to pack the stands and make an impact as the Ducks hunt a critical series win. The Ducks will begin the series against the Trojans on Thursday, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. PST.
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Mark Wasikowski calls for Oregon fans to 'be a difference' against USC
Continue reading...
