Safe at Home Plate!
Well, the rich get richer as Scott Heineman continued his hot streak on Tuesday afternoon as the outfielder came up with another great performance against Portland. Fresh off a 7-for-16, 6 RBI week, Heineman actually won the game for the Ducks this time around. With the scored tied at one run apiece in the top of the ninth, Heineman hit a two-out, three-run big fly to propel Oregon to a 4-1 victory in the bottom half.
In fact, all four of Oregon’s runs came via the big fly. Ryon Healy tied the game up in the seventh inning with a two out solo-shot, and Heineman’s three-run dinger proved to be the game winner. Not only is Healy really feeling his power stroke right now, but Heineman is hitting the ball better than any other point in his career. Heineman came into the weekend with one career homerun, and has now hit four home runs in the past three games; that is truly remarkable. Mitchell Tolman also contributed to the cause, going two for three while applying constant pressure to the Portland defense.
Three Run Homer!
After a staff effort to start the game, Garrett Cleavinger set the game up for his closer in the bottom of the seventh inning, striking out two batters in a scoreless 1.1 inning outing. Jimmie Sherfy closed the door in the ninth inning striking out the side in the process.
It has been tracked throughout the season here at FishDuck.com, but this truly is the most impressive stretch of offense this team has put together. Home runs, extra base hits, hitting streaks from multiple parts of the lineup… you name it. The Ducks are clicking at the right time now, as they head into a series at home against #13 UCLA. After dispatching highly ranked Oregon State using only bullpen pitchers, the Ducks can truly assert their position at the top of the conference with a series win this weekend against the Bruins.
The starting pitching should be getting back into the swing of things this weekend, and the bats are likely keep sizzling like they have been. If both sides of the Duck team (pitching and hitting) are clicking, who knows how far this team could go?
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Josh is a College Football enthusiast from sunny Southern California. He has written for several self-operated prep sports blogs, as well as multiple SB Nation sites. In High School, Josh played football for four years, and helped create and operate the team’s no-huddle system. Most of Josh’s football knowledge branches from watching College Football his entire life, and is backed up by his first hand experience in both option and spread offenses. Above all, though, he is a proud student at the University of Oregon.
@joshschlichter