Photo by David Cohen, (BHEphotos)
Oregon opens the season with a three-game series at San Diego State on February 19-21. The Aztecs advanced to regionals last season finishing 41-23 overall. The Ducks start their home season the following week when they begin a seven-game home stand with four games against Illinois State on February 25-28, before hosting Big West Conference runner-up UC Santa Barbara on March 4-6. The Gauchos finished last season 40-17-1 and advanced to the NCAA Regional Tournament.
UO begins the Pac-12 Conference season with a three-game series against Utah at PK Park on March 18-20. The Ducks also host Pac-12 rivals California (April 8-10), USC (April 15-17), Washington State (April 29-May 1) and Arizona (May 20-22) in Pac-12 Conference games. Oregon and Oregon State will meet twice (April 18, April 27) in non-league games at PK Park, while playing a three-game conference series in Corvallis (May 13-15). Cal, USC and Oregon State all advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season, as did UCLA (April 21-23) and Arizona State (May 6-8), both of whom Oregon will face on the road. The Ducks also have Pac-12 road series’ at Washington (March 24-26) and Stanford (May 26-27).
Oregon’s schedule also features some key interregional games in March and April. Following the UCSB series, UO heads to the South to play four games against SEC teams. The Ducks face Alabama (March 10) in a single game in the newly remodeled Sewell-Thomas Stadium, before traveling to Mississippi State (March 11-13) for a three-game series. The Bulldogs have qualified for the NCAA Tournament four of the last five years, including a trip to the College World Series in 2013.
After a four-game road trip to play Seattle (March 22) and Washington, the Ducks travel to the Midwest to face Notre Dame in a single game (March 31) and Michigan State (April 1-3) in a three-game series. The Fighting Irish advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season, while the Spartans swept the Ducks in a three-game series at PK Park.
At least 20 of Oregon’s games will be televised with the Pac-12 Networks carrying 17 of them. ESPNU will broadcast the first two games of the Oregon State series in Corvallis and the SEC Network will televise the Alabama game. The complete TV schedule for the SEC Network and the Big Ten Network haven’t been released so the Mississippi State and Michigan State series’ could also be broadcast.
Oregon is coming off a 38-25 season and its fourth straight trip to postseason. The Ducks have advanced to the NCAA Tournament in five of the seven years since the sport returned before the 2009 season. The Ducks return 13 position players off of last year’s team including eight starters. UO also expects to head into the season with a rotation featuring left-handed pitchers Cole Irvin, Matt Krook and David Peterson as well as right-handed closer Stephen Nogosek.
