Baseball Weekly Release: Washington
03/15/12 | Baseball
No. 17 Oregon at Washington
• Date: Friday-Sunday, March 16-18
• Venue: Husky Ballpark (Seattle)
• Radio: KSCR 1320 AM in Eugene/Springfield; Brian Prawitz, play-by-play
• Webcast: www.gohuskies.com
• Live Stats: www.GoDucks.com
• Twitter: @OregonBaseball for in-game updates, stats, etc
• Facebook
Broadcast information
In the Eugene/Springfield area, the Washington series will be broadcast on KSCR 1320 AM from Husky Ballpark. For fans outside of the Eugene/Springfield area, the O-Zone at www.GoDucks.com will offer live streaming audio.
Radio Affiliates
Brookings KURY 910 AM
Eugene KSCR 1320 AM
Medford KCMX 880AM
Portland KUIK 1360 AM
Roseburg KQEN 1240 AM
PAC-12 BEGINS
No. 17 Oregon begins Pac-12 play this weekend at Washington. The Ducks (12-3) and Huskies (10-6) are scheduled to begin their three-game series at Husky Ballpark at 5 p.m., Friday.
RANKINGS
After beginning the season unranked, the Ducks are currently ranked in all four national polls, and rest at No. 17 in the Baseball America rankings.
PROMOTIONS
Oregon returns to PK Park on Friday, March 23 to begin a three-game series with Utah. Saturday, March 24 is a BI-Mart Family Day, as two kids and two adults can receive admission for just $25. On Sunday, fans that donate clothing can receive $5 general admission tickets.
LAST WEEK RECAP
Oregon finished its weekend at the Nike College Showcase with a record of 2-2, as the Ducks 10-game winning streak was snapped last Friday in a 2-1 loss to Illinois. It was the first time all season Oregon lost a one-run game.
UO responded with a 12-0 win over West Virginia on Saturday afternoon, before falling to 22nd-ranked Oklahoma, 3-2, on Saturday night. Once again the Ducks responded, shutting out Connecticut, 4-0, on Sunday.
Sophomores Jeff Gold and Brando Tessar each pitched complete games over the weekend. In a career-high eight innings on the mound, Gold held West Virginia to four hits while striking out five.
On Sunday against UConn, Tessar pitched a four-hit complete-game shutout, striking out six, and walking two batters.
Also, junior Ryan Hambright and sophomore Daniel Pardini each hit the first home runs of their respective careers.
WASHINGTON SERIES
Oregon leads the all-time series against Washington, 137-125-1, but since UO baseball returned to the diamond in 2009, the Huskies have held a 10-5 advantage.
Last season, the Huskies won the conference series, 2-1, at PK Park.
Brett Thomas, Aaron Jones and J.J. Altobelli each hit above .300 in the series, while Alex Keudell earned the win in the series finale, shutting out Washington for eight innings, and surrendering just three hits while striking out six.
The last time Oregon was in Seattle, the Ducks won the series, 2-1, managing win in the final two games of the series. In the series finale on May 23, 2010 at Husky Ballpark, right-hander Zack Thornton led the then No. 22 Ducks to a come-from-behind, 5-2, victory Husky Ballpark.
Thornton tossed 7 and 2/3 innings, allowing only one unearned run on five hits and two walks while striking out four.
2012 SCHEDULE
Oregon's 2012 schedule is ranked the third strongest in the country according boydsworld.com. In fact, eight teams from the Pac-12 rank in the Boyd's World Strength of Schedule top-10: Stanford (1), USC (2), Oregon (3), UCLA (4), California (6), Washington State (7), Arizona State (8), and Washington (9).
Currently six of Oregon's 2012 opponents are ranked in the Baseball America Preseason College Top 25 poll. In addition, 13 opponents on Oregon's schedule reached the postseason a year ago.
PRESEASON ACCOLADES
Perfect Game
Preseason All-Conference Team
UT So. Ryon Healy .320, 4HR
Top 50 Draft Prospects
28. Jr. LHP Christian Jones
(missing 2012 season with injury)
40. So. 1B/RHP Ryon Healy
47. So. RHP Jimmie Sherfy
50. So. C/OF Aaron Jones
Top 100 College Seniors
46. Sr. RHP Alex Keudell
98. RS-Jr. RHP Joey Housey
BASEBALL AMERICA
Top 50 Freshmen
23. Fr. RHP Jake Reed
26. Fr. OF Billy Flamion
HEALTH REPORT
The Ducks' starting rotation took a hit in the preseason as Oregon went from returning two starters from last year's rotation to only one - senior Alex Keudell.
Junior left-hander Christian Jones (7-2, 3.24) will miss the 2012 season with an injury.
FRESHMAN CLASS RANKING
Once again a highly-touted recruiting class has joined the Oregon baseball program as the 2011 class received a No. 9 ranking from Baseball America's annual recruiting evaluations.
For the second year in a row, head coach George Horton brought in a top-10 class, and for the fourth consecutive year, Oregon has recruited a top-25 class.
A NEW LOOK
Oregon enters the 2012 season with 14 newcomers on the roster.
From the 2011 squad, the Ducks lost three position starters with shortstop KC Serna, second baseman Danny Pulfer and catcher Jack Marder all departing Eugene after being selected in the 2011 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
On the mound, Oregon has taken its biggest hit. The Ducks lost 322 and 1/3 innings of pitching, 15 wins and all 17 saves as Tyler Anderson, Madison Boer, Scott McGough and Kellen Moen were lost to the 2011 MLB Draft. Freshman Porter Clayton (0-1, 1 SV) is also missing from the 2012 roster after choosing to depart on a two-year mission.
MORE NOTES
• Oregon's 10-game winning streak (Feb. 18-March 4) was its longest since 1969, and Oregon's 10-1 start was the best for the program since 1965.
• From Feb. 19-23, UO recorded three consecutive wins with double-digit runs for the first time since April 22-24, 1974 in wins over Portland State (10-6), Linfield (16-15) and Washington State (12-1).
• Oregon enters the Washington series on a seven-game road winning streak - its longest since prior to 1963 (the first season game-by-game results are available).
• After winning finishing 2011 with a record of 5-12 in one-run games, the Ducks are currently 5-2 in one-run games.
• Oregon trailed Long Beach State 5-0 on March 4, but the Ducks staged a comeback to win 8-7 on Aaron Jones' walk-off in the bottom of the eighth. It was the Ducks' first comeback from a five-run deficit since a 17-7 victory over East Tennessee State at PK Park on May 16, 2010.
• On Saturday in Oregon's 12-0 win over West Virginia, Aaron Jones hit the first Oregon grand slam at PK Park since J.J. Altobelli vs. USC (April 25, 2010).
• Brando Tessar's four-hit, nine-inning complete-game shutout in last Sunday's 4-0 win over Connecticut was the first for an Oregon pitcher since Justin LaTempa vs. Washington State on May 1, 2010 at PK Park.
PITCHING
The only returner from Oregon's 2011 starting rotation is senior Alex Keudell.
Keudell was drafted in the 38th round by the Minnesota Twins in the 2011 MLB Draft, but chose to return to Eugene for his senior campaign.
Keudell (1-2), earned his first win of the season after scattering five hits over seven innings, allowing two runs, walking two and striking out three in Oregon's 4-2 win over then 17th-ranked Vanderbilt on Feb. 24.
In three seasons with the Ducks, Keudell posts a 13-17 record with a 3.70 ERA.
Keudell's junior campaign was his first season as a full-time starter, posting a 7-3 record and 2.89 ERA while striking out 71 and walking just 24 in 90 and 1/3 innings on the mound.
ROOKIE BALL
Freshman right-hander Jake Reed recorded his fourth consecutive quality start, allowing two runs - one earned - in last Saturday's 3-2 loss to No. 22 Oklahoma.
The Ducks are 3-1 when Reed takes the mound, and his 1.73 ERA is best amongst the UO starting staff and ranks sixth in the Pac-12.
Reed was selected in the 40th round (1,221 overall) of the 2011 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox. He was named to the Max Preps California All-State Second Team, Cal-Hi Sports Third Team, the San Diego Section First Team and the Grossmont Hills League First Team after finishing his senior season with a 9-1 record, 0.63 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 67 innings pitched.
Freshman left-hander Tommy Thorpe leads the staff with eight appearances, and has allowed just one run while striking out seven in seven and 1/3 innings pitched.
SOPHOMORE SHOW
Oregon's trio of sophomore pitchers - Jeff Gold, Brando Tessar and Jimmie Sherfy - each play significant roles in Oregon's rotation.
Closer Jimmie Sherfy (2-0, 2 SV) leads the country averaging 15.76 strikeouts per nine innings. In five appearances this season, Sherfy has pitched Oregon to wins against Hawai'i and Long Beach State in extra innings, while also recording saves in the series opener and finale at then 17th-ranked Vanderbilt. Sherfy is managing a 1.02 ERA, and has struck out 31 in 17 and 2/3 innings.
Oregon is also an undefeated 4-0 when Tessar (3-0, 3.55 ERA) gets the start. The Simi Valley, Calif., native pitched a four-hit complete-game shutout in a 4-0 win over Connecticut last Sunday, setting career highs with nine innings pitched and six strikeouts
OFFENSIVE ONSLAUGHT
The Ducks are batting .281 as a team, with four starters hitting over .300: Kyle Garlick (.350), Ryon Healy (.345), Aaron Jones (.305), Brett Thomas (.302).
Healy leads the club with 14 RBIs from the clean-up spot, and is batting .385 with runners in scoring position, while Aaron Jones has driven in the game-winning run three times in 2012.
Jones and Healy have each reached base in 14 games this season, and Healy enters the Washington series on a six-game hitting streak.
THE NEW DUO
Junior J.J. Altobelli made the move from third base to shortstop this season, and his infield mate is sophomore Aaron Payne.
In the last 15 games, the Duck defense has turned 14 double plays, and posts a .979 fielding percentage which ranks second in the Pac-12.
Altobelli currently leads Oregon with six doubles, while Payne has been plunked 10 times this season (first in the country) and boasts a .452 on-base percentage.
Freshman Scott Heineman has taken over at the hot corner, while Ryon Healy sits at first base.
IN THE OUTFIELD
Sophomore Kyle Garlick is batting is batting .350 and has driven in 10 runs this season, none more important than his walk-off single that scored Vernell Warren in UO's 3-2, 13-inning victory over Long Beach State on March 3.
Brett Thomas is currently batting .302, while senior Vernell Warren - who put baseball on hold for four years to pursue a track career - received his first start in the outfield in last Sunday's 4-0 win over Connecticut. Warren batted 2-for-4 and recorded his first career double.
WHAMMER
Given the nickname “Whammer” by his teammates, freshman Shaun Chase is third on the roster with a .462 slugging percentage. The native of Phoenix, Ariz., is batting .231, but leads the club with seven extra-base hits (four doubles, one triple, two home runs.)
2011 SEASON RECAP
Oregon finished the 2011 season with a 33-26-1 record and an eighth place finish in the Pac-10 with a mark of 11-16.
The Ducks clinched three conference series victories with wins over two Super Regional participants; Stanford and Oregon State as well as regional participant, Arizona.
