If the Oregon Ducks baseball team had a yearbook, senior third baseman Drew Smith could have the superlative “Mr. Clutch.”
Excelling in big moments, Smith has been an All-Regional selection the past three seasons for the Ducks. He is the veteran presence in the dugout, ever-present in big celebrations and leads the team with 61 RBIs.
And now that Oregon has played its last game at PK Park this season, Smith walks away with a lasting memory: beating in-state rival Oregon State Beavers in the Eugene Regional final, 4-1, to advance on the road to the College World Series.
Drew Smith and Mark Wasikowski Credit PK Park
In the regional final, the Beavers struck first with a run in the bottom of the second inning. Smith didn’t flinch, answering with a RBI single in the third inning to tie the game at 1-1. The Ducks were able to add three more runs in the seventh inning, as the crowd at PK park (including Oregon football coach Dan Lanning) made it’s presence felt.
The energy did not go unnoticed from Oregon coach Mark Wasikowski or Smith…