Angel Laya's two homers lift Oregon over Nebraska, set freshman record

Angel Laya gave Oregon exactly the kind of lift a team needs when its postseason margin starts to tighten. His two home runs powered a 5-4 win over No. 19 Nebraska at PK Park in Eugene, sealed a 2-1 series victory and pushed No. 21 Oregon back into firmer position after dropping four of its previous five games.

The Ducks improved to 26-10 overall and 10-5 in Big Ten play with the win on April 12, while Nebraska fell to 27-9 and 12-3. In a series between top-25 teams, Oregon took two of three from a Nebraska club that arrived in Eugene with a better conference mark and left with its first series loss of the Big Ten season. For a team trying to build a credible postseason case, that matters as much as the one-run final.

Laya finished 2-for-3 with three RBI and was hit by a pitch. His 11th home run of the season broke Oregon’s freshman single-season record, topping the previous mark of 10 set by teammate Maddox Molony in 2025. The first-year standout had already earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors twice and was named Perfect Game Freshman of the Week once earlier this season, signs that his hot start was no fluke. His two-homer day also underscored how quickly he has become one of the Ducks’ most dangerous bats.

Oregon athletics said Laya’s two homers broke the UO record for a freshman and helped the Ducks win a top-25 series over Nebraska. After the game, coach Mark Wasikowski said Nebraska was a good club and that taking two of three from the Cornhuskers was really good. He also called Laya “a pretty spectacular talent.” For Oregon, the record was the headline, but the bigger takeaway was the timing: a statement win at PK Park against a ranked opponent, right when the Ducks needed one to steady their season.