With Oregon coach George Horton still absent as he serves a three-game suspension, two Churchill High School graduates stepped to the forefront Wednesday as the Ducks snapped a three-game losing streak with a 6-4 win over Sacramento State and PK Park.
The former Lancers who made major contributions to the victory were designated hitter Antony Kreitz, with a three-run homer in the fifth inning, and second baseman Josh Hogan, who seemed to fit right in as Oregon’s leadoff hitter for the first time and continued to field flawlessly.
“He made three big-time defensive plays that changed the momentum around, or kept the momentum going our way,” said Oregon assistant coach Mike Kirby, in charge with Horton missing his second game for bumping an umpire last weekend.
Hogan also contributed offensively by scoring Oregon’s final two runs, working his way on base with a walk and being hit by a pitch, then using his speed to get into scoring position.
“He’s just a really hard-nosed player,” Kirby said.
That description was later used for Kreitz, and there are some other definite links. According to Kirby, both “begged” their way into being given the opportunity to try out for the Ducks. Each also spent some time in Corvallis with Beavers as teammates, which will make this weekend’s Civil War series with Oregon State a little more meaningful for the former Lancers.
“It’s going to be fun,” Hogan said.
Kreitz spent a season on the OSU roster, but acknowledged that might not have happened if Oregon had reinstated baseball prior to his 2007 graduation from Churchill.
“I grew up loving the Ducks,” Kreitz said. “There’s no other place I’d want to play, especially playing with (Hogan). We’ve been playing together since sixth grade … we’ve been good friends that whole time and then we finally get to play on the same (college) team. It’s awesome.”
Hogan was a 2006 Churchill graduate who attended Mount Hood Community College for two years and then was a teammate of several current Beavers on the Corvallis Knights team last summer. Though he also “grew up a Duck fan,” he’s still coming to grips with the idea of playing for Oregon.
“I can’t explain it (but) it’s weird to see Duck fans at a baseball game … it’s just awesome,” Hogan said.
Oregon fans seemed to appreciate his efforts as well. Though going hitless Wednesday dropped his average to .282, Hogan offered offense anyway with a stolen base and the two runs scored. And then there’s his defense.
The game began with the second baseman diving to field a grounder in short right field that turned a potential single into an out. Later, he barehanded a one-hopper that took a tricky hop away from his glove side. Another one of his assists came when he fielded a ball hit to his right, went into a slide on his knees to stop his momentum from carrying him beyond second base, and threw out the runner.
With five assists and a putout Wednesday, Hogan has had 31 fielding chances this season without an error. All that has made Hogan a starter in the past six games after he started in four of Oregon’s first 16 games.
“In our program, one thing is for sure: everything is earned so whether you’re a scholarship player or a walk-on, you come and earn a spot and he’s earned one,” Kirby said.
“I was just waiting for my chance to come,” Hogan said. “Everybody on this team is just doing everything they can to get the win, do everything they can for the team.
“I started out as the dugout captain. Most people might not be happy about that, but I take that and I think everybody else takes their role very seriously, to do what they can to get the team a W.”
Kreitz is definitely serious, and he did what he could with that three-run homer that put the Ducks ahead 4-1. Though his average is still only .211, two of his four hits have been home runs at PK Park.
“Whenever I get the chance, I’ve got to use it,” Kreitz said.
Guessing from his previous at-bat how he would be pitched, and with an Oregon pitcher on the bench advising him similarly, Kreitz watched a curve go by and then “knew a fastball was coming. … He put it right there. I hit it square, (and) I knew I hit it hard, but I didn’t think I had enough loft on it. I thought it would at least hit the fence.”
Three runs on one swing led to a five-run fifth inning for Oregon, quite an outburst for a team that had scored one run or been shut out in four of its previous six games. Can there be any doubt that with the game tied, one out and two runners on, Kreitz’s at-bat was the key point in the victory that snapped a three-game losing streak?
“It’s not so much I felt I needed to deliver, it’s just ‘I’m going to hit this ball hard,’” Kreitz said of his thought process. “That’s the only thing I could do and see where it goes. It ended up going over the fence.”
Five Oregon pitchers combined to strike out nine Sacramento State batters, and would have thrown a shutout except for the efforts of Tim Wheeler, who drove in all four runs for the Hornets (12-9). The Sacramento State center fielder, considered one of the top college outfield prospects by professional scouts, raised his average to .416 with three hits, including a sixth-inning home run.
UO REPORT
Oregon 6 Sacramento State 4
Turning point: With the score tied 1-1 in the fifth inning, Oregon designated hitter Antony Kreitz hit a three-run homer.
Noteworthy: After hitting leadoff for the first 21 games, left fielder Caleb Tommasini was moved to third in the order and had one hit in three at-bats with an RBI. He has Oregon’s top batting average at .329. … Second in the Pac-10 in stolen bases entering the week, the Ducks added three and have 40 in 48 attempts. … Blake Williams, a sophomore transfer from Texas, picked up his first collegiate victory by working 22/3 innings of relief. … Drew Gagnier struck out the side in the ninth for his fourth save. … Seats normally reserved for students are available for Friday’s game against Oregon State, priced at $12. Tickets go on sale today at 9 a.m. at the Casanova Center ticket office or by calling 1-800-WEBFOOT.
Next: Ducks play Oregon State in the Pac-10 opener for the Civil War rivals on Friday at 3 p.m. at PK Park.
Radio/TV: KUGN-AM (590) and Comcast Sports Network (Channel 37)
