Tanner Smith reflects on his career at Oregon coming to an end

Oregon outfielder Tanner Smith stepped on the field this weekend with a chance to send his team to the College World Series. But underdog Oral Roberts upset the Ducks in the Eugene Super Regional to advance to the College World Series.

While the final game did not finish the way Smith and his teammates would have liked with a ticket to Omaha booked, Smith did wrap up his career with a memorable performance. In front of a large Oregon crowd, he broke the career home run record for the school.

“It’s just something you dream of,” Smith said after the third game of the Super Regional. “There’s just the countless amount of people that were there supporting us today. To be in an environment like that and to play in front of the community like that is not only special to me, but for this whole institution.”

Smith finished the season with a career-best .327 batting average to go along with 11 homers, 20 doubles, 45 RBI and 50 runs scored.

The fifth-year senior also snagged All-Pac-12 honorable mention honors for her performance during the season. It was the second time he has earned that recognition.

“It’s something special,” Smith said. “This is a group unlike any other. This is a group that, like we talked about so much, has dealt with adversity in ways that no one else in the country has faced. To be able to rally together and to play for one another and to really adapt that team baseball — no better way to leave this place than with a team like this.”

Gavin Grant says Oregon should build a statue of Tanner Smith

Gavin Grant has been a teammate of Tanner Smith’s for the past four seasons. As he reflected on the time he spent with Smith and the impact his friend has on the program, Grant expressed his belief that the University commemorate Smith and his achievements with a statue.

“For everything that he’s done for this team and this program, I just want to thank you,” Grant said. “He’s one of my best friends ever. Roommates for three years now. He’s gonna be in my wedding. That’s just the relationship that we’ve made. I want to thank him for everything. There’s going to be a statue built of him here. Without a doubt. I don’t know how many records I think it’s 10, 11 or 12. But that’s unheard of. I’m just really proud of him.”