EUGENE, Ore. (Interstat) — The Oregon Ducks opened their 2026 baseball season with a decisive 6-2 victory over the George Mason Patriots on Friday night at PK Park, capitalizing on a dominant second-inning outburst to set the tone.

Facing an early two-run deficit before even taking a swing, the Ducks responded with relentless offense, amassing 11 hits to the Patriots’ four. The win gave Oregon a 1-0 start to the season, while George Mason fell to 0-1.

The game’s pivotal moment arrived in the bottom of the second inning, erasing George Mason’s brief advantage. The Patriots had taken a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning without a hit, leveraging walks and defensive miscues. Oregon starter Will Sanford settled after the rocky opening frame.

In the bottom of the second, the Ducks’ offense ignited. Angel Laya led off with a single, followed by a bunt single from Jack Brooks. Another bunt single by Cooney R loaded the bases with no outs. Gimenez J grounded out to second, driving in Laya to cut the deficit to 2-1. Then, designated hitter Dominic Hellman stepped in and delivered the crushing blow, a three-run home run to left field that scored Brooks and Cooney R, vaulting Oregon to a 5-2 lead. The inning continued with a hit-by-pitch and a single before finally ending, but the damage was done. Hellman’s homer provided all the runs Oregon would ultimately need.

The Ducks added an insurance run in the fifth. Laya doubled to center and advanced to third on another bunt single by Brooks. Laya then scored on a throwing error by the pitcher on the same play, making it 6-2.

George Mason’s offense, stifled for most of the night by Sanford and reliever Miles Gosztola, showed a flicker in the seventh. Jake Butler walked and Luciano Teri singled, putting two on with one out. After a strikeout, pinch-hitter Laken Tignor singled to left field, driving in both runners. Tignor advanced to second on a fielding error, representing the tying run at the plate, but Logan Vaugha popped out to first to end the threat. The Patriots would not get another runner into scoring position.

Sanford earned the win for Oregon, pitching five innings and allowing two unearned runs on three hits while striking out five. Gosztola provided three strong innings of relief, yielding one run on two hits. George Mason starter Shaun Okeeffe took the loss.

Beyond Hellman’s decisive home run, Oregon’s offense was a collective effort. Jack Brooks reached base three times with two bunt singles and a hit-by-pitch, scoring a run and stealing two bases. Angel Laya scored twice on a pair of hits, including a double. The Ducks’ aggressive small-ball strategy, evidenced by three successful bunt singles, consistently pressured the Patriots’ defense.

George Mason’s scoring was limited to the unconventional first inning and Tignor’s two-run pinch-hit single in the seventh. The Patriots’ four hits were scattered, and they struck out nine times as a team.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Oregon was projected with an 83.40 percent probability to win the contest, a forecast borne out by their commanding performance.

The two teams are scheduled for a doubleheader on Saturday, February 14, to continue the series. George Mason will then travel to Charleston, South Carolina, for a tournament the following weekend, while Oregon will prepare for a four-game home series against Youngstown State starting February 19.