Photo by: Rob Moseley/GoDucks.com
Youth Being Served As Ducks Face Rivals
04/25/24 | Baseball, @GoDucksMoseley
A couple of big-hitting freshman infielders from the state of Oregon have the Ducks positioned for big things entering a series this week at OSU.
Having tied Oregon's freshman home run record himself just two years ago, Jacob Walsh knows well the challenge of doing so.
It's hard to show up on a campus fresh out of high school, ready to face college pitching. It's hard to earn enough playing time to contend for such a record. It's hard to produce consistently enough to stay in the lineup, and provide a power source for the Ducks.
It's hard, but Walsh did just that in 2022, starting 55 games for the UO baseball team and hitting six home runs to tie Jonny DeLuca's four-year-old team record for a freshman. All of which gives Walsh unique insight into what current freshman shortstops Maddox Molony and Ryan Cooney are doing for the Ducks this spring — each also now has a share of the UO freshman home run record, having tied it in less than 20 games apiece.
"That middle infield the next few years is going to be incredible," Walsh said. "Maddox and Ryan, I haven't seen that really much since I've been here. And it's awesome to see, because those are the hardest-working dudes — you've got to pull them off the field, pull them out of the cage. I'm really excited for them moving forward."
This week, the Ducks play a series with massive implications, a three-game set at Oregon State beginning Friday at 6 p.m. It's not only a rivalry but a showdown between contenders for the Pac-12 regular-season title, and candidates to potentially host play in the NCAA Tournament.
Helping lead the Ducks into the weekend series are two precocious middle infielders from the state of Oregon, in Molony and Cooney. Molony was injured to start this season, and Cooney was an opening-day starter, slugging a record-tying six homers in 18 starts. Since Molony has gotten healthy, he also has reached six homers as a freshman, taking just 16 career starts.
UO coach Mark Wasikowski described Molony, who attended Thurston High in Springfield, and Cooney, of Jesuit High in Portland, as "Josh Kasevich 2.0." Kasevich was an all-West Region player as a junior in 2022, and set the standard at Oregon for grinding through extra work on the infield and in the batting cages to get the most out of his talents.
"Iron sharpens iron," Molony said. "We're great friends, we love each other and we're there for each other no matter what. … We're going to support each other and make each other really, really good."
They're starting from a pretty good place. Cooney started 22 games in February and March, hitting six homers and driving in 11 runs in that span. Since getting healthy in March, Molony is hitting .403 with six homers and 22 runs driven in, while scoring 20 runs and committing only three errors.
Both Molony and Cooney are on the serious side, Molony said. Sure, they share jokes between them. But always, they're focused on their development.
"They're roommates, always together," Walsh said. "I think that's sort of the reason why, moving forward, their development is going to be so good. Because they're always together, always getting better. It's fun to see."
As Walsh knows, the game can humble a young player. It's his job, and the job of Oregon's other leaders, to shepherd Molony and Cooney through the adjustments they'll see from opponents, and help them adjust in kind.
Molony, who has five three-hit games in the last month, sounds ready for the challenge.
"I've never really expected results; I've always just lived in the moment," he said. "Every single day, how can I get better? Doesn't matter what I do that day; how can I get better, how can I be better the next day? That's all I really focus on."
As a recruit, Molony was pursued by both Oregon and OSU. He appreciated the long-term vision Wasikowski had for the UO program. Now he's helping lead that vision, and Wasikowski hopes future in-state recruits take notice.
"The best Oregon kids, we want to play at Oregon," Wasikowski said. "When they see guys like Maddox Molony and Ryan Cooney amongst others playing for the Ducks and having success, hopefully the rest of them decide to come our way too. Because we think it's an awesome place to play, and will continue to be with the conference we're going in."
Yes, a new conference awaits the Ducks next season. But Molony and his buddy Cooney remain focused on the present. That's the formula, after all, that's fueled their success so far as freshmen.
"I'm just playing the game," Molony said. "Every day's a new day. I am where my feet are. The game has certain challenges every single day. And it's my job to approach those challenges and come out on top."
It's hard to show up on a campus fresh out of high school, ready to face college pitching. It's hard to earn enough playing time to contend for such a record. It's hard to produce consistently enough to stay in the lineup, and provide a power source for the Ducks.
It's hard, but Walsh did just that in 2022, starting 55 games for the UO baseball team and hitting six home runs to tie Jonny DeLuca's four-year-old team record for a freshman. All of which gives Walsh unique insight into what current freshman shortstops Maddox Molony and Ryan Cooney are doing for the Ducks this spring — each also now has a share of the UO freshman home run record, having tied it in less than 20 games apiece.
"That middle infield the next few years is going to be incredible," Walsh said. "Maddox and Ryan, I haven't seen that really much since I've been here. And it's awesome to see, because those are the hardest-working dudes — you've got to pull them off the field, pull them out of the cage. I'm really excited for them moving forward."
This week, the Ducks play a series with massive implications, a three-game set at Oregon State beginning Friday at 6 p.m. It's not only a rivalry but a showdown between contenders for the Pac-12 regular-season title, and candidates to potentially host play in the NCAA Tournament.
Helping lead the Ducks into the weekend series are two precocious middle infielders from the state of Oregon, in Molony and Cooney. Molony was injured to start this season, and Cooney was an opening-day starter, slugging a record-tying six homers in 18 starts. Since Molony has gotten healthy, he also has reached six homers as a freshman, taking just 16 career starts.
UO coach Mark Wasikowski described Molony, who attended Thurston High in Springfield, and Cooney, of Jesuit High in Portland, as "Josh Kasevich 2.0." Kasevich was an all-West Region player as a junior in 2022, and set the standard at Oregon for grinding through extra work on the infield and in the batting cages to get the most out of his talents.
"Iron sharpens iron," Molony said. "We're great friends, we love each other and we're there for each other no matter what. … We're going to support each other and make each other really, really good."
They're starting from a pretty good place. Cooney started 22 games in February and March, hitting six homers and driving in 11 runs in that span. Since getting healthy in March, Molony is hitting .403 with six homers and 22 runs driven in, while scoring 20 runs and committing only three errors.
Both Molony and Cooney are on the serious side, Molony said. Sure, they share jokes between them. But always, they're focused on their development.
"They're roommates, always together," Walsh said. "I think that's sort of the reason why, moving forward, their development is going to be so good. Because they're always together, always getting better. It's fun to see."
As Walsh knows, the game can humble a young player. It's his job, and the job of Oregon's other leaders, to shepherd Molony and Cooney through the adjustments they'll see from opponents, and help them adjust in kind.
Molony, who has five three-hit games in the last month, sounds ready for the challenge.
"I've never really expected results; I've always just lived in the moment," he said. "Every single day, how can I get better? Doesn't matter what I do that day; how can I get better, how can I be better the next day? That's all I really focus on."
As a recruit, Molony was pursued by both Oregon and OSU. He appreciated the long-term vision Wasikowski had for the UO program. Now he's helping lead that vision, and Wasikowski hopes future in-state recruits take notice.
"The best Oregon kids, we want to play at Oregon," Wasikowski said. "When they see guys like Maddox Molony and Ryan Cooney amongst others playing for the Ducks and having success, hopefully the rest of them decide to come our way too. Because we think it's an awesome place to play, and will continue to be with the conference we're going in."
Yes, a new conference awaits the Ducks next season. But Molony and his buddy Cooney remain focused on the present. That's the formula, after all, that's fueled their success so far as freshmen.
"I'm just playing the game," Molony said. "Every day's a new day. I am where my feet are. The game has certain challenges every single day. And it's my job to approach those challenges and come out on top."
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