Connect with us
DAPA Banner
DAPA Coin
DAPA
COIN PAYMENT ASSET
PRIVACY · BLOCKDAG · HOMOMORPHIC ENCRYPTION · RUST
ElGamal Encrypted MINE DAPA
🚫 GENESIS SOLD OUT
DAPAPAY COMING ›
Web Wallet
webwallet.dapahe.com
›
Zodiac Wallet
dapahe.com/zodiac-gui-wallet
›
DapaPay NEW
dapapay.com
›
△ MINE DAPA NOW
CPU · NO FEES · 60s SETUP›

Sports

‘Definitely not the plan;’ How a missed sign led to Oregon’s walk-off win

Published

2 hours ago

on

After squandering another early lead in a series finale, the momentum at the plate plateaued down the stretch for the Oregon Ducks on Saturday.

The Ducks had just three hits in extra innings, two of which came as the Ducks played small ball to rally and conquer USC for a 6-5 walk-off win. The hero? Oregon catcher Burke-Lee Mabeus, who put down a bunt after 14 innings in the squat.

Advertisement

As the Oregon dugout emptied and chased Mabeus to the center field wall, there was a palpable feeling of shock and awe. What just happened?

Advertisement

Assistant coach Jack Marder served as head coach for the Ducks on Saturday with Mark Wasikowski out of town for his daughter’s graduation. According to Marder, the play that sealed the crucial series win for the Ducks never should’ve happened at all.

“That was definitely not the plan,” Marder said after the game with a smile. “But, Burke’s a really good bunter. He’s proven that in his work. It’s a left-on-left matchup. Matson had been dominating us, and it’s a really tough angle for him. I actually thought Burke was going to find a way to do it, no matter what.”

Freshman first baseman Brayden Jaksa reached base on an infield single to shortstop and stole second base. After moving over to third base on a groundout, the Ducks had the winning run just 90 feet away with two outs.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Bunting with two outs is always a risky play, and the roll has to be perfect. Oregon initially wanted Mabeus to show a bunt to draw the infield in and give Mabeus a chance to swing away.

“Worst case, if he shows (bunt) and it’s a ball, it puts a little bit of stress on them on the defensive side,” Marder said. “It opens up a hole where Burke’s flat and he can hit a ball to that backside, like he showed earlier in the game. I was good with all that.”

Mabeus squared to the pitch and laid the bunt down perfectly up the third base line. Jaksa crossed the plate, and USC pitcher Sax Matson couldn’t field the ball and make the throw cleanly from an awkward angle. After the chaos dispersed, Mabeus was told one key detail that he had missed.

“I had a drag sign on my wrist, and apparently, I missed the wipe off,” Mabeus admitted. “I wasn’t supposed to drag. But I went for it. I kind of blacked out. I was just in the moment. We work on it every day at practice, and thankfully, I was able to pull that one off for our guys.”

Advertisement

Advertisement

In a big spot, calling for a bunt can be frustrating for a hitter as hot as Mabeus is at the plate. Fortunately, Oregon’s backstop for all 34 innings in the biggest series of the season was ready for the moment.

“I was excited for it,” Mabeus said after the game. “I take some pride in my bunting skills. I’ve had a couple of bunt hits this year (and) last year. I just told myself to go for it. No pressure in a situation like that, and I was able to get it down.”

That moment represented Oregon’s ability to finish as a team. The bullpen faced adversity late in the game, but closer Devin Bell and reliever Jonah Barkoff combined to strike out 10 Trojans and toss seven shutout innings into extra innings. Collin Clarke, the typical Saturday starter for the Ducks, came out of the bullpen for the second day in a row and earned the win.

Advertisement

Although the offense cooled off in extras, the Ducks found a way by adjusting and playing differently. The ball never left the infield in the 14th inning, but the Ducks managed to manufacture their own offense, thanks to Jaksa’s savvy baserunning and Mabeus laying down a timely bunt.

Advertisement

“In this game, it’s like chess,” Marder said. “Baseball’s different than other sports. You’ve got to relax, you’ve got to stay calm … I was pumped that our guys kept saying, ‘We’re going to find a way to get this thing done,’ and we did, doing things we don’t normally do.”

Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.

Advertisement

This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon baseball’s walk-off bunt vs USC almost never happened

Source link

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Sports

9 quick-hitting questions with Eagles star Cooper Dejean

Published

8 minutes ago

on

17 May 2026

By

To be at the PGA Championship this week is to see a lot of famous Philadelphia athletes. Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Cooper DeJean were all at Aronimink throughout the tournament, and thanks to T-Mobile, GOLF got a chance to chat with all of them.

Before Cooper DeJean joined Smylie Kaufman for a conversation in T-Mobile’s Club Magenta, I got a chance to ask the Eagles cornerback some questions for social media. Thanks so much to my Philadelphia-based colleagues, Alex Gelman and Darren Riehl, for help with the Philadelphia-centric questions.

Claire Rogers: What is a ‘jawn?’

Cooper DeJean: Jawn is really, I mean, you can use it to describe anything.

Advertisement

CR: Use it in a sentence.

CD: That jawn is nice.

CR: What’s your Handicap?

CD: 7.9

Advertisement

CR: Best golfer on the Eagles?

CD: Jake Elliott, probably.

CR: Favorite course in Philadelphia?

CD: Merion.

Advertisement

CR: Best Cheesesteak in Philadelphia?

CD: Angelo’s.

CR: Best wide receiver you’ve covered in practice?

CD: A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.

Advertisement

CR: Best wide receiver you’ve covered in a game?

CD: Justin Jefferson.

CR: Who’s going to win the PGA Championship?

CD: Scottie Scheffler.

Advertisement

“>

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Selma De Vary wins Auteuil G1 for Townend, Mullins & Ricci

Published

22 minutes ago

on

17 May 2026

By

Selma De Vary (4/1) and Paul Townend won the Grade 1 Prix Alain De Breil at Auteuil on Sunday afternoon.

Trained by Willie Mullins and carrying the Rich Ricci colours the daughter of Zarak took the four-year-old hurdle over 2m 3f and 85 yards at the Parisian track.

Runner-up in the Grade 1 Boodles Hurdle at Aintree on 9 April last, Lisgoold-born Townend kept the French-bred wide throughout the journey as he sought slightly better ground at the rain-soaked track.

The former Irish champion jockey made an eye-catching move down the back as he asked the filly to move towards the head of the field.

The four-year-old jumped well at the final two hurdles in the straight, and battled to the line to hold off the final challenge of eventual runner-up and joint-favourite, Delmegan, who failed by a neck at the line.

Advertisement

Leopard Du Berlais the other 2/1 joint-favourite was third six-and-a-half lengths behind the second-placer.


LiveScores Now Available at IrishScores.com

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Trying to piss Wemby off

Published

35 minutes ago

on

17 May 2026

By

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has won the 2026 NBA MVP race, edging superstars Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic. On Sunday, ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news to the community in an X post.

SGA has won the award for the second time in its career. He is a back-to-back MVP award winner and the only 14th player in league history to achieve that feat.

Fans swarmed Charania’s post’s comments section with their opinion on the Thunder star’s win.

“They trying to piss Wemby off before morning shoot around,” one fan said.

They trying to piss Wemby off before morning shoot around.

Advertisement

“This bum really got backpacked to another Mickey Mouse MVP. Sad to see!” another fan said.

“NBA giving the MVP to a free throw merchant over actual hoopers 😭 Wemby deserved to win it,” another fan commented.

Here are more reactions:

“NBA really gave the MVP to a free-throw merchant over actual hoopers 😭,” one fan commented.

“Wemby will use it as gasoline to burn past the Thunder and coast to his first championship ring! Shai is talented, yes, but Webenyama is a once-in-50-100-year talent. Shai is a once in every 25 years IMO!” another fan commented.

“It’s ok, Wemby will get an MVP…Finals MVP 😈,” another fan commented

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had one of the most efficient seasons of his career. He averaged 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game on 55.3% shooting. He made 10.8 shots in 19.4 attempts this season.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joins rare club with back-to-back MVP awards

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has joined an elite club featuring basketball greats with his back-to-back MVP win. The OKC Thunder guard became the only fifth guard in NBA history to have won the MVP award consecutively.

The only players to do it apart from the Thunder star are Steph Curry, Magic Johnson, Steve Nash and Michael Jordan. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s season was marked with dominance in various aspects of the game.

Advertisement

The Thunder star finished first in the clutch points leaderboard, grabbing the 2025-26 Clutch Player of the Year award on April 21.

“To win this award, you have to help your team win games late,” SGA told NBC’s in-studio crew on Tuesday. “That’s what I’m after more than anything, winning games.”

According to The Athletic, SGA received 96 first-place votes in addition to a second-place and a third-place vote. He totaled 484 points for a resounding win over his peers, Anthony Edwards and Jamal Murray, who were the other finalists in the voting.