Carter Garate, Ryan Cooney and Jacob Walsh continued their hot hitting as Oregon clubbed Iowa 13-4 to sweep at Duane Banks Field and claim at least a share of the Big Ten regular season baseball championship.
It's the 7th conference crown the Ducks have won in their first year in the league, out of 17 sports they participate in.
Starting pitcher Jason Reitz, The Bigger Unit at 6-11, gave the Ducks 5.2 strong innings, striking out four while allowing just one run. With the big lead the bullpen focused on throwing strikes, Ryan Featherston, Toby Twist, Cole Stokes and Santiago Garcia each taking their turn.
Offensively the Ducks got big hits throughout the lineup. No. 9 hitter Carter Garate drove in five runs on a 3-4 day that included two home runs and a drag bunt single. No. 8 hitter Ryan Cooney drove in three with a homer and a double.
But the biggest bat in the Oregon lineup during this do-or-die sweep was Jacob Walsh, the Oregon cleanup hitter, who continued a torrid streak with three hits and three RBI, a three-run homer in the 6th.
Oregon now awaits the Big Ten Tournament. They'll open with the 12-seed in Pool A on May 22, 4:00 p.m. PT at Charles Schwab Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska.
They ended the regular season with 10 straight wins while winning 14 of the last 15, a remarkable drive in a pennant race.