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Mark Wasikowski provides injury updates on three key Oregon players

Jarrid Denneyby:Jarrid Denney•06/07/23•

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(Photo by Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

As Oregon prepares for its most significant postseason series in over a decade, it’s still unclear if three of the Ducks’ key players will be available.

Oregon (40-20) will host Oral Roberts (49-11) for a best-of-three super regional at PK Park in Eugene this weekend, with Friday’s opener set for a 5 p.m. PT first pitch. Last weekend, the Ducks notched three wins in as many days to win the Nashville Regional, while Oral Roberts swept its way through the Stillwater Regional.

The Ducks have not played in a super regional since 2012. If they win this weekend’s series, they will make their first trip to the College World Series since 1954.

But while meeting with reporters on Wednesday, Oregon head coach Mark Wasikowski said he is still waiting to find out if right-handed pitchers Jace Stoffal and Isaac Ayon will be available to pitch.

“That’s a great question — I don’t know,” Wasikowski said when asked if there is an update on Stoffal or Ayon. “I haven’t been out on the field yet today, so I’ll know later this afternoon.”

Stoffal, who has emerged as Oregon’s Friday night starter this spring, owns a 2.83 ERA in 57 1/3 innings. Prior to his injury, he was performing like one of the top pitchers in the Pac-12. But he has not pitched since the Ducks’ April 28 win over Arizona State due to an undisclosed injury.

Ayon, who was projected to be Oregon’s Friday starter before the season began, has not pitched an inning this season — also due to an undisclosed injury.

Wasikowski was later asked if he and pitching coach Jake Angier have determined their starting rotation for the weekend and said they had not.

Throughout the Nashville regional, the Ducks leaned on junior Logan Mercado, as well as freshman Turner Spoljaric and Grayson Grinsell in starting roles.

During Saturday’s win over Vanderbilt Spoljaric held the No. 6 team in the nation to four earned runs on six hits over 6.0 innings and kept the Commodores scoreless throughout his final four frames of the evening..

One day later, Grinsell tossed a career-high 94 pitches and struck out seven while holding Xavier scoreless through 4.0 innings.

“Stoffal, it’s sucked having him go down, Grinsell said on Wednesday. “But he’s been a big help to us. He’s really been pushing all of the younger guys, helping us, and telling us to just stick with it and keep doing what we’re doing.”

It’s also unclear at this point if star center fielder Colby Shade will be available this weekend.

Shade, who was an honorable mention all-conference selection and typically hits in the No. 2 spot of Oregon’s batting order, was hit in the wrist with a pitch during the Ducks’ win over Vanderbilt. He was not in the lineup the next day against Xavier but entered the game in the eighth inning to pinch run.

Shade is hitting .338 with six homers and 31 RBIs this season and was also named to the Pac-12 all-defense team.

“I don’t have anything, again, until I get out to the field today,” Wasikowski said. “He did play, though, in the last

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