Oregon Ducks Baseball To Drop In Top 25 Rankings After Losses to Ohio State?

The No. 10 Oregon Ducks baseball team has dropped its first series of the year to one of, if not the worst team in the Big Ten Conference: the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Buckeyes entered the weekend in last place in the Big Ten with no conference wins. They also entered the series with the worst RPI of any Power Four baseball program. Despite the Buckeyes' struggle to find consistency, the Ducks still managed to drop the series.

The Ducks will undoubtedly see a drop in rankings after the defeats.

Oregon infielder Ryan Cooney makes a catch at second as Minnesota catcher Sam Hunt dives toward the base as the Oregon Ducks host the Minnesota Golden Gophers Saturday, March 15, 2025, at PK Park in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Ducks were swept by Ohio State 11-10 and 8-6. Saturday’s losses marked their first series loss of the season. The Buckeyes, on the other hand, earned their first two conference wins of the season.

The weekend was not all bad for the Ducks. The weekend started off successfully for Oregon as the team won the series opener on Friday with a 7-0 shutout win.

The Ducks saw a stellar performance on the mound from pitcher Grayson Grinsell. Grinsell pitched seven innings with five strikeouts and just one walk.

Four different Ducks hit home runs on Friday. Center fielder Mason Neville and infielder Dominic Hellman led the way with two RBIs each.

Saturday was a different story for Oregon. The Ducks struggled to maintain control in both games of Saturday’s doubleheader. Oregon surrendered multiple late leads in the pair of losses to Ohio State.

Mar 2, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State plays Oregon State during the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series presented by Kubota Weekend 3 at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-Imagn Images | Jim Cowsert-Imagn Images

Despite strong offensive performances from multiple players, pitching struggles ultimately sealed the Ducks' fate.

In the first game, Oregon built multiple leads, including a 10-6 advantage in the seventh inning after home runs from Maddox Molony and Jacob Walsh.

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From there, inconsistent pitching and defensive errors allowed Ohio State to crawl its way back into the game. The Buckeyes capitalized in the eighth with a go-ahead two-run single, completing an 11-10 comeback win.

Oregon baseball players flash the “O” to fans after the Ducks beat the Toledo Rockets in their home opener at PK Park in Eugene Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The final game of the series was a similar story. Oregon took a 5-4 lead before Ohio State came back yet again. With the bases loaded in the eighth inning, a sacrifice fly tied the game. A three-run home run then sealed Oregon’s 8-6 loss.

Oregon’s bullpen struggled to find consistency throughout Saturday’s doubleheader. Despite trying multiple pitchers, Oregon’s bullpen walked 13 hitters and hit five of them across both games.

The series loss isn’t just a loss. It holds extra weight for the Ducks, who have remained in the top 15 in the polls for several weeks.

Oregon head coach Mark Wasikowski walks the dugout as the Oregon Ducks host the Minnesota Golden Gophers Saturday, March 15, 2025, at PK Park in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oregon entered the weekend with just two conference losses, the fewest in the Big Ten. However, that number doubled on Saturday as the Ducks picked up their third and fourth conference losses of the season.

Before the series, Oregon was one of just two Big Ten teams receiving votes in the major college baseball polls, alongside UCLA. However, after this series loss, the Ducks are expected to fall in both the national rankings and the conference standings.

Next up, the Ducks head back home for a midweek matchup with Portland on Wednesday, followed by a crucial three-game series against Michigan in PK Park.