Oregon Baseball's Naulivou Lauaki Jr. Crushes Mammoth Home Runs

Redshirt freshman infielder and pitcher hits two 470+ foot homers in blowout win over Illinois

Apr. 18, 2026 at 1:58pm by

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A dynamic, colorful painting with rapid brushstrokes and neon hues depicting the powerful swing and follow-through of a college baseball player hitting a towering home run.An explosive expressionist painting captures the raw power and energy of an Oregon Ducks slugger crushing a mammoth home run.Eugene Today

In a 16-6 blowout win over the Illinois Fighting Illini, Oregon Ducks redshirt freshman Naulivou Lauaki Jr. crushed a pair of mammoth home runs, including a 496-foot three-run shot and a 471-foot solo blast. The 6-5, 265-pound power hitter is having a breakout season for the No. 16 Ducks, who are looking to host an NCAA Regional for the fifth time in program history.

Why it matters

Lauaki's nuclear displays of power have turned heads around college baseball, showcasing the Ducks' offensive firepower as they push for a national seed and a chance to host the NCAA Tournament. Oregon's deep lineup, led by Lauaki, freshman Angel Laya, and senior Drew Smith, has the team among the national leaders in home runs.

The details

In the third inning, Lauaki launched a 496-foot three-run homer to left-center field, extending Oregon's lead to 8-3. He followed that up in the seventh inning with a 471-foot solo shot to dead center, putting the game out of reach at 13-6. The 6-5, 265-pound Lauaki is hitting .385 with a 1.287 OPS, though he's only appeared in 17 games this season due to an injury that kept him out in 2025.

  • In the top of the third inning, Lauaki hit his 496-foot home run.
  • In the top of the seventh inning, Lauaki hit his 471-foot home run.

The players

Naulivou Lauaki Jr.

A redshirt freshman infielder and right-handed pitcher for the Oregon Ducks, known for his prodigious power at the plate.

Mark Wasikowski

The head coach of the Oregon Ducks baseball team.

Angel Laya

A freshman outfielder for the Oregon Ducks who has broken the program's freshman home run record.

Drew Smith

A senior infielder and outfielder for the Oregon Ducks who was named to the Golden Spikes Award midseason watch list.

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What’s next

The Ducks are looking to receive a national seed, which would allow them to host an NCAA Regional for the fifth time in program history. They have tough remaining conference series against Penn State, Washington, UCLA, and USC as they push for a top-16 national seed.

The takeaway

Naulivou Lauaki Jr.'s mammoth home runs have showcased the Ducks' offensive firepower, as the team looks to host an NCAA Regional and make a deep postseason run. Oregon's deep lineup, led by Lauaki, Laya, and Smith, has the potential to carry the team to new heights in college baseball.