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Mark Wasikowski set to start fourth season with Oregon baseball

By Sam Fariss

Oregon's Jacob Walsh, left, is congratulated by head baseball coach Mark Wasikowski as he heads home.
Oregon's Jacob Walsh, left, is congratulated by head baseball coach Mark Wasikowski as he heads home. / Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA
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Oregon baseball head coach Mark Wasikowski is about to kick off his fourth season with the Ducks. On Feb. 16, Oregon will head to Arlington, Texas to start its season at the Shriners Children’s College Showdown.

Despite being left out of the AP Top 25 Poll, I expect the Ducks to have an incredibly successful season and that will begin in the great state of Texas.

Three players on Wasikowski’s roster were named to the preseason All-Pac-12 Team; Grayson Grinsell, Logan Mercado, and Jacob Walsh were each named to the team to highlight Oregon’s stellar roster.

They are scheduled to play Oklahoma, Baylor, and No. 18 Texas Tech over the weekend. 

464. 0-0. . Feb. 16. BB vs Sooners. 3 p.m. CT. 515. 0-0.

The most recent and only time the Ducks and Sooners have played each other was on March 10, 2012. In a back-and-forth game filled with 16 hits, Oregon sadly lost 2-3 to Oklahoma. 

The Sooners are consistently a powerhouse baseball program but have fallen out of the top 25 in preseason polls. With a veteran squad, Oregon should be able to handle Oklahoma and start its season with a win.

515. Feb. 17. BB vs Bears. 0-0. 0-0. . 460. . 11 a.m. CT

The Bears’ baseball program is as far from perennial as one can get. Earning 50 wins in just one season in team history, Baylor has lacked some of the success that other Big 12 teams, such as Oklahoma and Texas Tech, have experienced.

As Oregon heads into its second game of the season, I expect them to come out swinging against Baylor’s lacking bullpen. 

If the Ducks’ can find their swings, this game should be an easy win for Oregon and they will be sitting at 2-0 as they turn their attention to the most difficult game of the weekend.

2:30 p.m. CT. . Feb. 18. 0-0. . 0-0. 515. BB vs Raiders. 468

As much as I hate to say it, I’m not sure the Ducks can eke out a win over the Raiders. Texas Tech has a highly talented, thoroughly experienced roster.

Raiders’ head coach Tim Tadlock has won nearly 67 percent of his games and this is his eleventh season in Lubbock. Ranked No. 18 in preseason polls, Texas Tech is set to have a fantastic season in 2024. 

Sadly, I think the Ducks may lose momentum and struggle against the Raiders’ powerful at-bats. Oregon will most likely drop this game and finish the weekend with a 2-1 record.

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