Oregon Baseball Drops Series to No. 21 Michigan

Ducks' first conference series loss of 2026 season costs them ground in top-25 rankings

Apr. 6, 2026 at 9:09pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A cubist, geometric painting depicting a college baseball game, with overlapping planes of bright green, yellow, and blue representing the players and field of play. The fragmented, multi-perspective style captures the dynamic action of the sport.Oregon's first conference series loss of the season highlights the team's struggles against left-handed pitching and the challenges they face in maintaining their position in the Big Ten standings.Las Vegas Today

Oregon baseball's first series-loss of 2026 cost the Ducks some ground in all five major top-25 polls on Monday. The Ducks (24-8, 8-4 Big Ten) posted a 1-3 week, dropping a midweek game to Portland and falling in two of three weekend-series games to Michigan (16-14, 5-7). It marked Oregon's first conference series-loss since March 29, 2025, when Ohio State took two-of-three from the Ducks in Columbus.

Why it matters

The Ducks' struggles against left-handed pitching and their first conference series loss of the season have dropped them in the national rankings, making their upcoming matchups against top Big Ten teams like UCLA and USC even more crucial as they fight to maintain their position in the conference standings.

The details

Oregon's southpaw struggles reared their head in a series-opening 10-0 loss to the Wolverines on Thursday. Michigan run-ruled the Ducks in seven innings as Big Blue's freshman left-hander, Shane Brinham, carved up Oregon's lineup. Of the Ducks' top nine at-bat leaders in 2026, five hit below the Mendoza line (.200) against left-handed pitching. As a team, Oregon hits .238 against left-handed pitching and .316 when facing right-handers.

  • On Thursday, April 3, Oregon lost 10-0 to Michigan in the series opener.
  • On Saturday, April 5, Michigan defeated Oregon 4-3 to clinch the series win.

The players

Will Sanford

Oregon RHP who surrendered six runs in 2.2 IP in the series-opening loss to Michigan.

Shane Brinham

Michigan's freshman left-handed pitcher who threw a seven-inning shutout against Oregon in the series opener.

Kurt Barr

Michigan's Friday starting pitcher who worked six innings of one-run ball in a 5-2 win over Oregon.

David Lally Jr.

Michigan's Saturday starting pitcher who struck out five in six innings and gave up three runs (1 ER) in a series-clinching 4-3 win over Oregon.

Cooper Mullens

Michigan's designated hitter and leadoff man who hit the game-winning RBI in Saturday's 4-3 win over Oregon. Mullens is the son of University of Oregon athletics director, Rob Mullens.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

What’s next

Oregon will look to bounce back in a midweek matchup against Portland on Tuesday, April 7, before hosting No. 19 Nebraska for a three-game series starting Friday, April 10.

The takeaway

Oregon's first conference series loss of the season has dropped them in the national rankings, but they still have opportunities to make up ground against top Big Ten opponents like UCLA and USC in the coming weeks. The Ducks' struggles against left-handed pitching will be a key area to address as they aim to regain their footing in the conference standings.