Oregon Ducks Look to Make Late Season Push To Post Season

Oregon will look to a late season push for a chance at the NCAA Tournament, but wins now are at a premium as time is running out on the season.

Two weeks ago the Oregon Ducks sat in fifth place in the Pac-12, now they have dropped all the way to 11th. The Pac-12 is very tight so a couple of wins could push them back in the middle of the Pac-12. The Ducks finish their series against Arizona State today and hope to avoid a sweep. Friday Oregon pushed the Sun Devils to 12 innings in a 5-4 loss and another close loss Saturday night 9-8. Oregon has come up short both games by one run, so a couple of more plays here and there could give them win today.

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Monday they host non-conference opponent Gonzaga in a two game series. Game time starts at 6PM both Monday and Tuesday. The Bulldogs are no pushover with a record of (25-15, 13-8 WCC), although it won’t affect their conference record these are must wins for the Ducks. Gonzaga is also a decent road team with a 15-11 record, so Oregon will be tested at home.

Friday they face in state rival Oregon State in the Civil War. The Beavers remain one of the best teams in the Pac-12, but lately have struggled in conference play with a record of 10-10. They however are fifth in the Pac-12 and could easily move up to the top three by the end of the season. Overall their record is an impressive 29-14, the Beavers also lost star pitcher Drew Rasmussen, and have struggled to find consistency at the mound. Batting has also been an issue either white hot at the plate or struggling to drive in runs. It has been a disappointing season for a team that was ranked in the top five to begin the season and have steadily dropped over the season.

The Oregon Ducks are going to have to dig deep, to finish the season strong and climb in the Pac-12. A.J. Balta and Steven Packard are going to have keep driving in runs to keep the Ducks in close games. At the mound Matt Krook remains one Oregon’s best weapons and it’s their turn to lean on him to finish out the season. Krook will need to work out of his most recent slump. The Ducks are just couple of plays away from being in the mix, hopefully they can put it all together.