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Kicker Atticus Sappington on leaving Oregon State for Oregon football: ‘Time to move on’

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Kicker Atticus Sappington on leaving Oregon State for Oregon football: ‘Time to move on’


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Oregon needed a new kicker, Atticus Sappington wanted a new team.

Seemed like a logical match — except for one thing.

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Sappington, one of the best kickers in the Pac-12 last season for Oregon State, wasn’t just transferring from any old team, he was coming from the Ducks’ main rival, or as Oregon special teams coach Joe Lorig put Thursday afternoon, “the school up the road.”

That didn’t keep Sappington from making the jump, nor did it prevent the Ducks from trying to upgrade their talent at the position following the graduation of longtime starter Camden Lewis, who left as the team’s all-time scoring leader.

“Coach Lorig really made me feel welcome here and the team was really open arms,” Sappington said. “Really, I just feel at home.”

Sappington led the Pac-12 and ranked fifth nationally in field-goal percentage at 92.86% last season, converting on 13-of-14 attempts.

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He made 5-of-6 field goals from 40-49 yards, was 5-of-5 from 30 to 39 yards, and 3-of-3 from 20 to 29 yards. His career long is 48 yards. Sappington also converted 49-of-50 extra-point attempts.

In his Oregon State career, he was 18-of-21 on field-goal attempts and 64-of-66 on PATs. 

“It’s good to have a guy that you know has done it at this level,” Lorig said. “A lot of guys can go out and kick off the sticks when there’s no real pressure going on, but he’s done it in big games, in some of the stadiums that we’ll play in. … He’s really got a mentality that you need to have to be good at his position.”

Sappington entered the transfer portal when the Beavers’ season ended and coach Jonathan Smith left Corvallis for Michigan State.

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The junior from Portland who attended Central Catholic was thrilled to stay in state.

”It was time to move on and I couldn’t be more excited to be here and be a part of the team,” Sappington said.

Sappington has impressed Lorig, as well as the team’s strength and conditioning staff with his dedication in the weight room since arriving in Eugene. 

“He’s kind of a weight room guy, which is kind of unusual for kickers,” Lorig said. “It can be valuable to that position or not. More importantly, it’s the work ethic. He’s a competitor.”

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Listed at 5-10, 188 pounds by Oregon State last season, Sappington said he’s been lifting weights since he was 15 and described it as one of his hobbies.

“I want to be a big guy,” he said. “I don’t want to have that classic stereotype of the ‘skinny kicker.’ I want to look like a football player and I take pride in how I look.”

Sappington hasn’t been handed the job at Oregon. The competition to replace Lewis remains in progress with redshirt freshman Grant Meadors, one of the top kickers in the nation coming out of high school in 2023. Freshman and early enrollee Gage Hurych out of West Linn is getting a shot too, while also getting work in with the punters.

Follow Chris Hansen on X @chansen_RG or email at chansen@registerguard.com

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Oregon State baseball vs. Saint Mary’s in Corvallis Regional: Preview, starting lineups, how to watch elimination game

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Oregon State baseball vs. Saint Mary’s in Corvallis Regional: Preview, starting lineups, how to watch elimination game


CORVALLIS — The top-seeded Oregon State Beavers play the fourth-seeded Saint Mary’s Gaels Sunday afternoon in an elimination game at the Corvallis Regional at Goss Stadium.

First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.

(Follow the game live here)

It’s the first outing of a double-header that will see the winner advance to face No. 3 seed USC on Sunday night. The Trojans are 2-0 in the double-elimination event and sit one win away from reaching the super regionals.

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If the OSU-Saint Mary’s winner defeats USC in Sunday’s nightcap, the teams would meet again on Monday in a winner-take-all finale.

After suffering an opening-round upset against Saint Mary’s, the Beavers vowed to fight back and “do something special” … and they backed up the pledge in their first elimination game, defeating TCU 7-2 on Saturday to keep their season alive.

Freshman right-hander Dax Whitney was electric and the Beavers’ offense slugged four home runs in the win. Afterward, Saint Mary’s suffered a 6-4 defeat to USC, setting up today’s losers’ bracket rematch.

Here are details about the first game of Sunday’s double-header:

Oregon State Beavers (42-13-1) vs. Saint Mary’s Gaels (36-25)

When: 3 p.m. PT, Sunday, June 1

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Where: Goss Stadium, Corvallis

TV channel: The game will not be broadcast on television, but will stream live on ESPN+.

How to watch live stream online: The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ via a subscription. Visit osubeavers.com and click on the baseball schedule for a direct link or visit plus.espn.com for subscription information.

Radio: All games air on the Beaver Sports Network. Pregame starts 30 minutes before the first pitch and you can listen live anywhere via the Varsity Radio Network. Local affiliates include KEJO 93.7-FM & 1240-AM (Corvallis), KKNX 105.1-FM & 840-AM (Eugene), KCFM 104.1-FM & 1250-AM & 104.1-FM (Florence), KLAD 104.3-FM & 960-AM (Klamath Falls), KCFM 103.1-FM (Mapleton), KTMT 96.1-FM & 580-AM (Medford), KCMX 880-AM (Medford), KCMX 99.5-FM (Phoenix), KEX 1190-AM (Portland), KSKR 1490-AM (Roseburg) and KBZY 1490-AM (Salem).

Probable starters: TBA

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This and that: Neither team has announced its starting pitcher, but the Beavers are expected to go with sophomore Ethan Kleinschmit, who was their Sunday starter all season. The 6-foot-3 left-hander has been OSU’s most consistent starter this year, going 7-3 with a 3.84 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 72 2/3 innings. And Kleinschmit is coming off one of his best performances, a one-hit, seven-strikeout gem against Long Beach State in the regular-season finale. … Wilson Weber, Trent Caraway, AJ Singer and Tyce Peterson bashed home runs for OSU in Saturday’s elimination game. It was the fourth time this season the Beavers have hit four or more homers in a game and it pushed their season total to 89, tied for the second-highest single-season total with the 2023 club. The Beavers hit a school-record 118 in 2024. … Caraway has belted a home run in each of the first two games of the regional and in three of his last four games. The sophomore third baseman hit six during the regular season. … Gavin Turley enters the game with 179 RBIs in his career, tied with Michael Conforto for the most in program history. … The Gaels have been carried all season by the strength of their lineup — not their pitching — and the depth of their staff will be tested today. Saint Mary’s likely will start right-hander Lukas Sarantos, who is 3-0 with a 5.40 ERA this season. He’s made 15 appearances, including seven starts. … The Gaels’ staff ERA is 6.17.

OSU’s projected starting lineup

1. Easton Talt, RF

2. Aiva Arquette, SS

3. Gavin Turley, LF

4. Wilson Weber, C

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5. AJ Singer, 2B

6. Canon Reeder, CF

7. Trent Caraway, 3B

8. Tyce Peterson, 1B

9. Dallas Macias, DH

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Saint Mary’s projected starting lineup

1. Eddie Madrigal, 1B

2. Cody Kashimoto, 2B

3. Aiden Taurek, LF

4. Ryan Pierce, 3B

5. Brian Duroff, DH

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6. Diego Castellanos, RF

7. Jared Mettam, SS

8. Ian Armstrong, C

9. Tanner, Griffith, CF

— Joe Freeman | jfreeman@oregonian.com | 503-294-5183 | @BlazerFreeman | @freemanjoe.bsky.social | Subscribe to The Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.

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Oregon Ducks Trending For 5-Star Recruit Jett Washington? Official Visits Loom

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Oregon Ducks Trending For 5-Star Recruit Jett Washington? Official Visits Loom


The Oregon Ducks are in the heat of the recruiting cycle for the class of 2026, with commits landing at schools across the country by the day. The Ducks are in the hunt for one of the most coveted safeties in the country, five-star Jett Washington. Washington is a top recruit and will visit four Power Four schools that will each try and sway him to come play for their team.

Dan Lanning meeting with fans

Ambassador Vicki Fiorelli (right front) greets Oregon head coach Dan Lanning (left) as the Oregon football team arrives for the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 26, 2023, at the Lincoln J. Ragsdale Executive Terminal at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix. / Mark Henle/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Washington, who stands at 6-5, anchored one of the best high school defenses in the country during his time with Bishop Gorman. Washington was awarded the MaxPreps Nevada Player of the Year and won the 5A state title with Bishop Gorman while compiling 38 tackles, 5 interceptions, and a forced fumble.

He is one of the most highly coveted players in the class of 2026. He still has official visits planned with Ohio State, Alabama, and Oregon, according to 247 Sports, and the No.1 recruit in Nevada has recently scheduled a visit with USC. Washington has ties to California; his uncle was the late Kobe Bryant, a five-time NBA champion.

Washington is set to visit Tuscaloosa and Alabama coach Karen Deboer on May 30, then he will turn around and fly to Los Angeles to meet with the USC coaching staff. Washington has a trip planned to Ohio State on June 6.

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Los Angeles, California, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day (left) and Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning shake ha

Dec 31, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day (left) and Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning shake hands with the Leishman Trophy as a backdrop during the Rose Bowl head coaches press conference at Sheraton Grand LA. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

His final official visit of this cycle will be one week after his trip to Ohio State when he travels to Eugene to meet with Oregon coach Dan Lanning and the Ducks. Oregon having the last official visit can only be good news for Ducks fans, as Lanning will most likely have the last impression on the No.1 recruit out of Nevada.

Washington has already been to Eugene once and had good things to say about his trip. Washington had this to say to On3 when asked about his visit.

“My last visit to Oregon was great. It is a great program and they are recruiting me as hard as anyone. coach Hampton is a great coach, coach Lanning has the program going up and I liked it a lot when I was up there,” Washington told On3.

MORE: New York Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu Out Duels Caitlin Clark, Makes Franchise History

MORE: Washington Commanders’ Josh Conerly Jr. Changing Positions? Laremy Tunsil Trade Impact

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MORE: Longest College Football Home Winning Streaks: Georgia, Washington, Oregon Ducks

Oregon has had talented safeties since Lanning has been at the helm with former Duck Tysheem Johnson playing a big role in his final two seasons with the Ducks. Just last year, safety Kobe Savage played a large role in Oregon’s defense. Lanning seems to have struck gold at the safety position again this season, grabbing Dillon Thieneman out of the transfer portal from Purdue.

Dillon Thieneman

Purdue Boilermakers defensive back Dillon Thieneman (31) reacts after a Penn State Nittany Lions touchdown Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, during the NCAA football game at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. Penn State Nittany Lions won 49-10. / Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Washington committing to Oregon by the end of the summer would be much needed good news for Oregon fans. It has been a surprising recruiting cycle for Ducks fans, with much to be pleased about but a sour taste is still in the mouth due to five-star offensive tackle Kodi Greene flipping from Oregon to Washington, and the Ducks losing out on both five-star quarterback Jared Curtis and five-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell.



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Lyndsey Grein’s ‘no-way mentality’ sends Oregon past Ole Miss at WCWS

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Lyndsey Grein’s ‘no-way mentality’ sends Oregon past Ole Miss at WCWS


OKLAHOMA CITY — On a night filled with career-highs for Lyndsey Grein in the circle, it was the actions Oregon’s ace took when she wasn’t pitching that may have been the biggest difference in her latest masterpiece performance, which kept the Ducks alive at the Women’s College World Series.

With Rylee McCoy committing two early errors in her first game back at first base since taking a line drive to the face in the Eugene Regional final against Stanford, it was Grein who consoled the All-American freshman, who was later moved to designated player.

After getting out of a two-on, two-out jam in the top of the tenth, it was Grein who spoke up in Oregon’s huddle even after she threw 94 strikes out of 144 pitches over 9 1/3 innings — all career-highs for the junior right-hander.

Grein held Ole Miss 2 for 13 with runners in scoring position and though she surrendered the game-tying two-run single in the seventh, the All-American buckled down and finished the gutsiest performance of her career. She silenced the Rebels throughout extra innings long enough for the Ducks to finally break through once more in a 6-5 win in 10 innings decided on a walk-off walk by Kedre Luschar after Friday night turned to Saturday morning at Devon Park.

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“I knew my teammates had my back regardless,” Grein said. “I knew before we got here we were going to pull it off. We didn’t know what it would look like, but the Ducks were going to leave with a win today.

“I told my teammates as long as there’s innings and we have outs to spare, I will stay here until 8:30 the next — or today, and however long it was going to take for us to win. But today wasn’t the day that Version 7 ends their season.”

Grein left with with Oregon leading 2-1 with two outs and a runner on third in the fifth, then Ole Miss tied it on a single by Persy Llamas off Staci Chambers. Grein later reentered with two on and one out in the sixth, one of multiple jams she got out of unscathed, and did not leave the circle again.

Grein’s performance actually improved after reentering, despite the high leverage situations she was in.

She notched four of her seven strikeouts after returning to the circle and threw 46 strikes on 64 pitches compared to 48 out of her first 80. She threw first pitch strikes to 14 of the final 21 Ole Miss batters she faced compared to 10 of the first 21.

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“I think they did a good job pitch calling because they went back down and mixed in some different off speeds in some of those counts, whether they led with it or finished with it, just to keep us off balance,” Ole Miss coach Jame Trachsel said. “Good pitcher, had good command today, up and down and mixed speeds and could throw it on different counts. Could throw it for a strike or expand the zone. It was a tough puzzle to crack.”

It was the most pitches thrown by an Oregon pitcher since Jordan Dail’s 145 against Utah on May 3, 2019, when UO literally had no other pitchers on its roster.

While not extremely outrageous volume in college softball, Oregon coach Melyssa Lombardi avoids overworking her pitchers and looks to avoid topping 120 pitches in a game.

Made aware Grein was one shy of the high pitch count mark of her tenure, Lombardi smiled.

“Lyndsey is just a straight-up competitor on the mound,” Lombardi said. “There’s no way she’s coming out of that game. There’s no way. She’s going to finish it.

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“At Oregon, we talk about it all starts in the weight room. And the reason why Lyndsey was able to finish that game is because it all starts in the weight room. What she’s done with (strength coach Kaelin Jackson) has given her the strength, the endurance she needs to start a game like that and come out and reenter it and finish it and get better as the game went on. She got better as the game went on.”

It was performances like Grein’s that Oregon has so sorely been missing from the circle since All-American Brooke Yanez, who missed the 2022 season due to injury and transferred to UCLA in 2023.

Getting out of one jam after another — two on, no outs; two on, one out; runner on second, one out; bases loaded, one out; first and second, one out; first and second, two outs — against top competition on the sport’s biggest stage is what will make Grein’s outing live in lore no matter how Oregon’s season ends.

“It was just a no-way mentality,” Grein said. “I think one of the things that motivates me is when I glance up and look at my teammates, and that gets me really motivated, just to do it for them. ”

Grein allowed five runs, four earned, on eight hits and three walks, but those figures will be lost to history compared to the ultimate result as Oregon (54-9) advances to play the loser of Texas and Oklahoma in an elimination game on Sunday (4 p.m., ESPN2).

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“I put her up against any hitter in this country and she’s going to win, and I just know it,” Luschar said. “I trust her, I believe in her, and she’s so awesome to play behind.”



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