Mark Wasikowski defends decision to leave Brock Moore in during long seventh inning

Oregon coach Mark Wasikowski continued to stick with pitcher Brock Moore despite a massive defensive collapse in the seventh inning Sunday. The Ducks entered the inning leading Texas A&M by a score of 8-4 before Moore, who had pitched the previous 2.2 innings, began to struggle.

He walked two of the first four batters he faced and also allowed a single to load the bases with one out. He then proceeded to walk in one run before striking out the next batter and only needing one more out to wrap up the inning.

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However, that would not be the case as Moore would go on to walk the next three batters he faced and allow the Aggies to tie things up before being pulled. Jaxon Jordan then stepped in and walked the go-ahead run across the plate before giving up a grand slam to Kaeden Kent.

The end result was A&M taking a 13-8 lead into the bottom of the inning. Oregon ultimately lost 15-9 and can look back to all those walks as the sole reason why. Wasikowski addressed his decision to keep Moore in the game despite of the meltdown, saying he had trust in him based on previous experience.

“Brock and the guys that pitched in the majority of the innings this weekend, we wouldn’t be here without those guys,” the coach began. “Those were our go-to guys and we stuck with our go-to guys because they earned the trust from the coaching staff. Sometimes it doesn’t work out and tonight was one of those cases. When they get you here, you dance with the one that brung ya. That’s what we did tonight.

“Unfortunately where it worked out so many times for us in the past, it didn’t work out tonight. I don’t back down from those decisions whatsoever. We were disappointed in the results, but at the same time, very proud of the men that went out there and competed with everything that they had.”

Brock Moore, a senior, had been a solid arm for Oregon all season. He pitched a total of 31 innings to rank fourth on the team with 52 strikeouts and a record of 4-1.

Still as the runs continued to pile up the tension rose. It was hard not to wonder why Oregon chose to keep him in the game as he continued to rack up walks. All five of his walks for the game came during that inning.

Of course, all of the blame can’t be placed solely on Moore. Jordan was the one who walked in the go-ahead run and gave up the grand slam, getting pulled himself.

It was a frustrating way for the Ducks’ season to end, but Wasikowski has no regrets about his decision. It was still a great season as Oregon won a Regional for the second straight year, and they’ll aim to come back even stronger in 2025.