Saturday, April 18
Champaign, Ill.
1:00 p.m.
University of Oregon
27-11, 0
13
at
16
Illinois
20-17, 0
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 14 | 3 |
| Illinois | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 13 | 0 |
Photo by: Zoe Rivers
Ducks Lose at Illinois on Walk Off
04/18/26 | Baseball
Champaign, Ill. — No. 19 Oregon stranded 14 runners on base over the first seven innings and Illinois took advantage scoring 12 runs in the final three innings to pick up a series-evening 16-13 win at Illinois Field in Big Ten Conference action on Saturday.
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The Ducks (27-11, 11-6 Big Ten) had opportunities to break the game open while building a 6-4 lead through the middle of the seventh inning. The Ducks left the bases loaded in their two-run second inning, a no-run third inning and in their two-run seventh inning. UO also stranded a pair of runners in its two-run fifth inning and single runners in the first, fourth and sixth as well as one in the ninth.
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Illinois (20-17, 8-9 Big Ten) eventually won the game on a three-run walk-off home run in the ninth. That came after the two teams swapped the lead in the seventh and eighth innings. Oregon took a 6-4 lead with two runs in the seventh, before Illinois put eight runs on the board in the bottom of the inning to take a 12-6 lead.
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Oregon came right back to take the lead, scoring seven runs in the top of the eighth inning before Illinois tied it with a run in its half of the eighth.
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How It Happened: Oregon took the early lead, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the second with two outs. With runners on first and second, Jack Brooks pulled a ball through the hole between first and second for a 1-0 lead. After a hit-by-pitch and walk loaded the bases, Brayden Jaksa drew another walk to score Burke-Lee Mabeus.
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Illinois scored four runs in the fourth, thanks to a couple of wind-aided hits that led to the runs. Oregon answered to tie it in the fifth, scoring a pair of runs. After Angel Laya walked to lead off the inning, Maddox Molony slugged a two-run home run.
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The Ducks scored two more in the top of the seventh inning to take a 6-4 lead. Mabeus led off the inning with a hit and moved to second on a Naulivou Lauaki Jr. base hit before a Brooks walk loaded the bases. Jaksa drove in a pair of runs with a base hit to left to give the Ducks the lead.
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Oregon's bullpen ran into trouble in the eighth inning. Three relievers allowed eight runs on just four hits with four walks, two wild pitches that allowed runs to score and a Toby Twist throwing error that allowed two more runs to score.
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Despite the Illini having all the momentum, Oregon's offense responded with seven runs in the top of the eighth to regain the lead. A Molony walk, Dominic Hellman hit-by-pitch and Lauaki base hit loaded the bases for Brooks, who got an RBI when he was hit by a pitch. Jaksa, who went 2-for-5 with a career-high seven RBI, cut the lead to one with a grand slam over the left-field wall.
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After Ryan Cooney reached on another hit-by-pitch, Drew Smith lifted a home run over the right-field wall to give the Ducks the 13-12 lead.
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Illinois tied the game with an unearned run in the bottom of the inning after Smith threw wild on a sacrifice bunt attempt, one of Oregon's three throwing errors during the game.
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Box Score Notes: Molony moved into sole possession of third on Oregon's career home run list with his 32nd … Smith moved into a tie for eighth with Shaun Chase (2012-15) on the career home run list … He also moved into sole possession of fourth on the multiple-RBI list with his 33rd … Jax Gimenez extended his reached base streak to 28 games with a second-inning hit-by-pitch … Jaksa's grand slam was Oregon's fourth of the season … Oregon batters drew nine base on balls and were hit by five pitches … Oregon pitches allowed 10 runners to reach on walks … The Ducks finished with 15 runners left on base, while Illinois stranded eight … Lauaki led Oregon with three hits, while Jaksa, Smith, Molony and Brooks all had two hits … In addition to Jaksa's seven RBI, Smith, Molony and Brooks all drove in a pair of runs.
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On Deck: The series rubber match is Sunday at 11:02 a.m. (PT) first pitch.
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The Ducks (27-11, 11-6 Big Ten) had opportunities to break the game open while building a 6-4 lead through the middle of the seventh inning. The Ducks left the bases loaded in their two-run second inning, a no-run third inning and in their two-run seventh inning. UO also stranded a pair of runners in its two-run fifth inning and single runners in the first, fourth and sixth as well as one in the ninth.
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Illinois (20-17, 8-9 Big Ten) eventually won the game on a three-run walk-off home run in the ninth. That came after the two teams swapped the lead in the seventh and eighth innings. Oregon took a 6-4 lead with two runs in the seventh, before Illinois put eight runs on the board in the bottom of the inning to take a 12-6 lead.
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Oregon came right back to take the lead, scoring seven runs in the top of the eighth inning before Illinois tied it with a run in its half of the eighth.
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How It Happened: Oregon took the early lead, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the second with two outs. With runners on first and second, Jack Brooks pulled a ball through the hole between first and second for a 1-0 lead. After a hit-by-pitch and walk loaded the bases, Brayden Jaksa drew another walk to score Burke-Lee Mabeus.
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Illinois scored four runs in the fourth, thanks to a couple of wind-aided hits that led to the runs. Oregon answered to tie it in the fifth, scoring a pair of runs. After Angel Laya walked to lead off the inning, Maddox Molony slugged a two-run home run.
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The Ducks scored two more in the top of the seventh inning to take a 6-4 lead. Mabeus led off the inning with a hit and moved to second on a Naulivou Lauaki Jr. base hit before a Brooks walk loaded the bases. Jaksa drove in a pair of runs with a base hit to left to give the Ducks the lead.
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Oregon's bullpen ran into trouble in the eighth inning. Three relievers allowed eight runs on just four hits with four walks, two wild pitches that allowed runs to score and a Toby Twist throwing error that allowed two more runs to score.
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Despite the Illini having all the momentum, Oregon's offense responded with seven runs in the top of the eighth to regain the lead. A Molony walk, Dominic Hellman hit-by-pitch and Lauaki base hit loaded the bases for Brooks, who got an RBI when he was hit by a pitch. Jaksa, who went 2-for-5 with a career-high seven RBI, cut the lead to one with a grand slam over the left-field wall.
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After Ryan Cooney reached on another hit-by-pitch, Drew Smith lifted a home run over the right-field wall to give the Ducks the 13-12 lead.
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Illinois tied the game with an unearned run in the bottom of the inning after Smith threw wild on a sacrifice bunt attempt, one of Oregon's three throwing errors during the game.
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Box Score Notes: Molony moved into sole possession of third on Oregon's career home run list with his 32nd … Smith moved into a tie for eighth with Shaun Chase (2012-15) on the career home run list … He also moved into sole possession of fourth on the multiple-RBI list with his 33rd … Jax Gimenez extended his reached base streak to 28 games with a second-inning hit-by-pitch … Jaksa's grand slam was Oregon's fourth of the season … Oregon batters drew nine base on balls and were hit by five pitches … Oregon pitches allowed 10 runners to reach on walks … The Ducks finished with 15 runners left on base, while Illinois stranded eight … Lauaki led Oregon with three hits, while Jaksa, Smith, Molony and Brooks all had two hits … In addition to Jaksa's seven RBI, Smith, Molony and Brooks all drove in a pair of runs.
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On Deck: The series rubber match is Sunday at 11:02 a.m. (PT) first pitch.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sam Mommer (2-1)
L: Bell, Devin (1-4)
Batting:
2B: Cooney, Ryan 1
HR: Jaksa, Brayden 1 ; Smith, Drew 1 ; Molony, Maddox 1
RBI: Jaksa, Brayden 7 ; Smith, Drew 2 ; Molony, Maddox 2 ; Brooks, Jack 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Jaksa, Brayden 1 ; Cooney, Ryan 1 ; Smith, Drew 1 ; Laya, Angel 1 ; Molony, Maddox 3 ; Mabeus, Burke-Lee 2 ; Hellman, Dominic 1 ; Lauaki Jr., Naulivou 2 ; Brooks, Jack 1
SB: Molony, Maddox 1 ; Brooks, Jack 2
HBP: Gimenez, Jax 1 ; Cooney, Ryan 1 ; Molony, Maddox 1 ; Hellman, Dominic 1 ; Brooks, Jack 1
Batting:
2B: Nick Groves 1 ; J.R. Nelson 1
3B: Nick Groves 1
HR: Kyle Schupmann 1
RBI: Nick Groves 2 ; Kyle Schupmann 4 ; Daniel Contreras 1 ; Luke Landrus 2 ; J.R. Nelson 2
SH: Collin Jennings 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nick Groves 1 ; Michael Farina 2 ; Jack Zebig 1 ; AJ Putty 3 ; Kyle Schupmann 2 ; Collin Jennings 1 ; Daniel Contreras 2 ; Cole Crafton 1 ; Luke Landrus 1 ; J.R. Nelson 2
SB: Collin Jennings 1 ; Daniel Contreras 1
Game Leaders
AB
6
R
2
H
3
RBI
0
1b/c
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
7
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
3
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
UTL
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballC
/ BaseballINF/RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
C
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballINF/OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballOregon Baseball vs. Illinois | GAME HIGHLIGHTS (2026)
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Oregon Baseball vs. Nebraska | 3 GAME SERIES HIGHLIGHTS (2026)
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Devin Bell | Postgame vs. Nebraska (Game 3)
Sunday, April 12
Angel Laya | Postgame vs. Nebraska (Game 3)
Sunday, April 12
