On the road with the Ducks
What an honor to be part of the first game of the Ducks new era.
Friday's win over St Marys was one for the ages.
Oregon fans will remember that day for alot of reasons besides the victory.
Coach Horton's pregame speech to the team on the bus was special, too.
He asked the team to play as hard as they can, represent the University and all the people who made that day possible. He didn't tell them to 'go win', he asked them to play hard and they did.
But they also won.
Saturday was not nearly as much fun.
The doubleheader was long and the Ducks lost both games, but the one thing that bothers Coach Horton most of all is the way the team warmed up Friday and Saturday.
Prior to the first game on Friday, Coach said his team had its worst infield/outfield practice since the team got back together in February. Saturday's pregame warmup was the second worst, according to coach. The results on the field will come, but they have invested so much time in the infield/outfield warmup that it should have been much much better.
Sunday, the game was rained out. Steady downpour. No chance of playing.
Too bad, the Ducks would have loved the chance to erase the taste of those losses from Saturday.
Instead of playing a game, the team went back to St Marys for a workout in a small gymnasium.
Pitchers worked with Coach Checketts while the position players listened to Coach Horton talk for about 20 minutes and then focused on bunting. Horton said St Marys beat Oregon Saturday in the infield. They bunted and fielded bunts far better than the Ducks.
I've been around baseball a long time and I have never seen details like the detail Coach Horton provides. He says the players are taking in as much as they can, but he understands if they don't get everything just yet. His goal is to give these men the tools to become successful on the field, but also in life. Good stuff.
We fly out at about 7 and should be home late Sunday night. Then, Fresno State next Friday to open PK Park. Another emotional day awaits us all.
Friday's win over St Marys was one for the ages.
Oregon fans will remember that day for alot of reasons besides the victory.
Coach Horton's pregame speech to the team on the bus was special, too.
He asked the team to play as hard as they can, represent the University and all the people who made that day possible. He didn't tell them to 'go win', he asked them to play hard and they did.
But they also won.
Saturday was not nearly as much fun.
The doubleheader was long and the Ducks lost both games, but the one thing that bothers Coach Horton most of all is the way the team warmed up Friday and Saturday.
Prior to the first game on Friday, Coach said his team had its worst infield/outfield practice since the team got back together in February. Saturday's pregame warmup was the second worst, according to coach. The results on the field will come, but they have invested so much time in the infield/outfield warmup that it should have been much much better.
Sunday, the game was rained out. Steady downpour. No chance of playing.
Too bad, the Ducks would have loved the chance to erase the taste of those losses from Saturday.
Instead of playing a game, the team went back to St Marys for a workout in a small gymnasium.
Pitchers worked with Coach Checketts while the position players listened to Coach Horton talk for about 20 minutes and then focused on bunting. Horton said St Marys beat Oregon Saturday in the infield. They bunted and fielded bunts far better than the Ducks.
I've been around baseball a long time and I have never seen details like the detail Coach Horton provides. He says the players are taking in as much as they can, but he understands if they don't get everything just yet. His goal is to give these men the tools to become successful on the field, but also in life. Good stuff.
We fly out at about 7 and should be home late Sunday night. Then, Fresno State next Friday to open PK Park. Another emotional day awaits us all.
posted by Brian at 2:39 PM
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