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The Oregon Ducks are headed to Omaha as the No. 3 seed in the Big Ten Tournament after an impressive 38-15 record this season, including a 20-10 mark in conference play.
The Ducks picked up series wins over Nebraska and USC, and they were the first Big Ten team to beat top-ranked UCLA. Mark Wasikowski's squad has built a resume worthy of hosting a regional, and a strong showing in the conference tournament should lock that in.
No team in the Big Ten was too much for the Ducks to handle, and they competed with a good mix of veteran and young talent all season long, leading to several conference awards at the season's end. Oregon didn't land one of the major awards, but eight Ducks received all-conference honors.
Third baseman Drew Smith and right-handed pitcher Tanner Bradley both earned All-Big Ten first-team honors. A staple in the lineup, the senior infielder led the Ducks in home runs (14) and RBI (53). Smith hit for a .327 average and a 1.002 OPS as the veteran power bat in the middle of the lineup. Smith also earned All-Defensive team honors.
Bradley was a bull out of Oregon's bullpen. Often used as the setup man, Bradley led all Oregon pitchers with 26 appearances this season, tossing 44 ⅓ innings to a 1.83 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP. The sophomore grew into Wasikowski's favorite relief option as he tallied 69 strikeouts to just 17 walks.
Oregon also had three second-team nominations. Friday starter Will Sanford checked in on the second team after making 14 starts as the leader of the Ducks' rotation. Sanford pitched to a 4.08 ERA and finished third in the conference with 96 strikeouts.
Out of the bullpen, the Ducks' closer Devin Bell also earned recognition. He notched 11 saves, third-most in the Big Ten and tied for eighth nationally. In just 32 ⅓ innings on the hill, Bell collected 35 strikeouts. In the regular season finale against USC, Bell tossed a season-high four innings in relief and picked up seven strikeouts.
Lastly, second baseman Ryan Cooney made the second team as an at-large after leading the Ducks in batting average (.340), runs scored (46), hits (73) and doubles (18). Cooney also played tremendous defense up the middle, and his experience playing all over the Oregon infield in years prior made him a leader in the clubhouse.
The freshmen didn't miss out on the awards either. Designated hitter Naulivou Lauaki Jr. earned All-Big Ten third-team and All-Freshman honors. Lauaki didn't become a regular starter until early April, at which point he became a key slugger for the Ducks. He hit 10 home runs in just 23 starts. Right fielder Angel Laya and first baseman Brayden Jaksa also cracked the All-Freshman lineup. Both were important power hitters in the lineup. Laya finished second on the team with 13 home runs, a new Oregon freshman record, while Jaksa hit eight homers and had a .322 batting average.
Additionally, the Big Ten also awards one player on each team in the conference the Sportsmanship Award, which honors "student-athletes who distinguished themselves through sportsmanship, ethical behavior, academics and citizenship." Center fielder Jack Brooks took home the honor after serving as a critical hitter at the bottom of the lineup for the Ducks and playing tremendous defense as the captain of the outfield. Brooks collected 24 RBI and led the Ducks with 16 stolen bases.
Oregon will begin its run in the conference tournament on Friday. They will play either No. 6 Ohio State, No. 7 Michigan, No. 10 Rutgers or No. 11 Washington.
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: Oregon Ducks earn eight All-Big Ten baseball nominations
Continue reading...
The Ducks picked up series wins over Nebraska and USC, and they were the first Big Ten team to beat top-ranked UCLA. Mark Wasikowski's squad has built a resume worthy of hosting a regional, and a strong showing in the conference tournament should lock that in.
No team in the Big Ten was too much for the Ducks to handle, and they competed with a good mix of veteran and young talent all season long, leading to several conference awards at the season's end. Oregon didn't land one of the major awards, but eight Ducks received all-conference honors.
Third baseman Drew Smith and right-handed pitcher Tanner Bradley both earned All-Big Ten first-team honors. A staple in the lineup, the senior infielder led the Ducks in home runs (14) and RBI (53). Smith hit for a .327 average and a 1.002 OPS as the veteran power bat in the middle of the lineup. Smith also earned All-Defensive team honors.
Bradley was a bull out of Oregon's bullpen. Often used as the setup man, Bradley led all Oregon pitchers with 26 appearances this season, tossing 44 ⅓ innings to a 1.83 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP. The sophomore grew into Wasikowski's favorite relief option as he tallied 69 strikeouts to just 17 walks.
Oregon also had three second-team nominations. Friday starter Will Sanford checked in on the second team after making 14 starts as the leader of the Ducks' rotation. Sanford pitched to a 4.08 ERA and finished third in the conference with 96 strikeouts.
Out of the bullpen, the Ducks' closer Devin Bell also earned recognition. He notched 11 saves, third-most in the Big Ten and tied for eighth nationally. In just 32 ⅓ innings on the hill, Bell collected 35 strikeouts. In the regular season finale against USC, Bell tossed a season-high four innings in relief and picked up seven strikeouts.
Lastly, second baseman Ryan Cooney made the second team as an at-large after leading the Ducks in batting average (.340), runs scored (46), hits (73) and doubles (18). Cooney also played tremendous defense up the middle, and his experience playing all over the Oregon infield in years prior made him a leader in the clubhouse.
The freshmen didn't miss out on the awards either. Designated hitter Naulivou Lauaki Jr. earned All-Big Ten third-team and All-Freshman honors. Lauaki didn't become a regular starter until early April, at which point he became a key slugger for the Ducks. He hit 10 home runs in just 23 starts. Right fielder Angel Laya and first baseman Brayden Jaksa also cracked the All-Freshman lineup. Both were important power hitters in the lineup. Laya finished second on the team with 13 home runs, a new Oregon freshman record, while Jaksa hit eight homers and had a .322 batting average.
Additionally, the Big Ten also awards one player on each team in the conference the Sportsmanship Award, which honors "student-athletes who distinguished themselves through sportsmanship, ethical behavior, academics and citizenship." Center fielder Jack Brooks took home the honor after serving as a critical hitter at the bottom of the lineup for the Ducks and playing tremendous defense as the captain of the outfield. Brooks collected 24 RBI and led the Ducks with 16 stolen bases.
Oregon will begin its run in the conference tournament on Friday. They will play either No. 6 Ohio State, No. 7 Michigan, No. 10 Rutgers or No. 11 Washington.
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: Oregon Ducks earn eight All-Big Ten baseball nominations
Continue reading...
