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No. 13 Oregon baseball blasts No. 3 Beavers, sets up chance to sweep rivalry series

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No. 13 Oregon baseball blasts No. 3 Beavers, sets up chance to sweep rivalry series


EUGENE — As he analyzed his team’s tone-setting series-opening victory on Friday night, Oregon baseball coach Mark Wasikowski stressed that the Ducks had not yet come close to showing their immense potential.

“We’ve got a good record, like, a really good record …,” he said. “But they still feel like they’re way better than what we’ve shown on a consistent basis. You’ve got to put a complete product together on a consistent basis for us to be able to make that claim. And so until we can show that on a regular basis, people are going to question it. And they’ve got a right to.

“But the locker room feels like they got a lot more to show.”

It would be pretty hard to top what the No. 13 Ducks showed Saturday night.

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Oregon handed the rival Oregon State Beavers their worst defeat of the season, administering an embarrassing 13-1 back-alley beat-down before 4,278 at PK Park in Eugene.

The Ducks blasted four home runs, put crooked numbers on the scoreboard in five different innings, and rode another dominant starting pitching performance to their fourth consecutive win in the rivalry series, clinching their first weekend series triumph over the Beavers since 2021.

Oregon (29-12) entered the series looking to pad its postseason resume and reinforce the internal belief that it is capable of making a special late-season run. The Ducks did that and then some on Saturday, when they chased electric OSU right-hander Dax Whitney after three innings, built a commanding 9-0 lead and scored in five of the first six innings, blasting their way to the most lopsided win over the Beavers since resurrecting the baseball program in 2009.

“It’s nice to win the series in the first two games, but we’re after the sweep,” Ducks center fielder Mason Neville said. “So taking the win, brushing it off and maintaining the mindset we’ve had the past two games of just dominating every pitch and continuing to do that. That’s the best way to go about it and we plan on doing that tomorrow.”

The Ducks opened up a 2-0 lead seven pitches into the bottom of the first inning, when No. 2 hitter Dominic Hellman belted a first-pitch fastball to deep center field for a two-run home run. It was only the beginning. Oregon went on to blast three more homers, as Neville, Jacob Walsh and Maddox Molony each added two-run shots, punctuating an explosive performance.

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Eight different Ducks recorded a hit and four finished with multi-hit nights. Drew Smith went 3 for 4 with a triple and two RBIs, Ryan Cooney finished 3 for 5 with two runs scored, Molony went 2 for 5 with three RBIs and Hellman went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Neville and Walsh hit their second homers of the series and Neville’s was his nation-leading 21st of the season.

All the while, sophomore right-hander Collin Clarke (3-2) bewildered the Beavers (32-9) for six impressive innings, allowing just one run and four hits to earn his first win since March 15. Clarke, who finished with four strikeouts, carried a shutout into the sixth inning and retired 11 consecutive batters during one dominant stretch.

Whitney (3-3), on the other hand, struggled to control a 97-mph fastball and throw his curveball for strikes on the way to one of his worst outings of the season. He surrendered four runs, four hits and four walks in three innings, taking it on the chin in what OSU coach Mitch Canham called a “learning moment.”

“Our lineup in general is pretty special,” Neville said. “I think we have the chance to really do some big things this year. And I mean, to go out and have your 1-2-3 all hit two-run home runs, it’s pretty tough to do. It just puts pressure on the other team and puts pressure on the pitcher. And, I mean, they don’t want to throw to us, it seems like. So, yeah, it’s a lot of fun to be a part of winning by 12.”

As for the Beavers, there wasn’t much fun in the third base dugout at PK Park. And when the team gathered for a lengthy postgame chat in left field to dissect the debacle, it was one of the topics Canham addressed.

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“I’ve noticed we play our best when our guys are having a lot of fun,” he said. “Being behind in the games, yeah, that can create difficulty having fun or opening up to that. But what really creates fun is knowing that you have those guys next to you, that you’re playing baseball, that you’re part of the best program in the country.

“We were punched in the mouth pretty hard. Now it’s time to take this as a learning moment to bring us closer together, not further apart.”

Next up: The Beavers and Ducks finish their weekend series Sunday afternoon at PK Park. First pitch is scheduled for 12:05 p.m.

— 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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Iconic Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest returns on Oregon Coast

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Iconic Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest returns on Oregon Coast


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The beloved Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest returns for a series of events from June 19 to June 21.

In 1964, this event was founded by four locals to lift community spirits after a tsunami washed out the Elk Creek Bridge. Now, the event draws thousands of tourists and is recognized as the first and oldest sandcastle contest in Oregon.

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Registration for the contest is available online through the Cannon Beach events site.

To start off the weekend, contestants can pickup their competition materials from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on June 19.

The same day, Bill Rose will provide a live sandcastle demonstration on the beach off Second Street from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Then, the kickoff celebration will take place at Steidel Community Hall from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

Competition day starts 8:30 a.m. on June 20 when the beach opens for parking. During the time of the contest, parking is allowed in every public parking lot, on the beach and the sides of the street.

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The contest will be on the beach west of Ocean Avenue near Madison Street.

The artists can begin crafting their masterpieces at 9 a.m. when the sandcastle building starts. Only natural materials native to the beach can be used.

Final judging takes place at 2 p.m. Judges are looking for team effort, enthusiasm, composition, detail, adherence to the rules and final appearance.

Spectators and competitors can celebrate from 7 to 10 p.m. with s’mores and music on the beach at the west end of Second Street. There is free admission for the party.

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For those looking to get their steps in, the weekend wraps up with the Singing Sands 5K Fun Run at 9 a.m. June 21.

Registration for the run is on the beach at the Tolovana Wayside entrance at 8 a.m.

The Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce and Information Center is available to answer any questions at 503-436-2623.

Makenzie Stamets is an outdoor intern at the Statesman Journal. She can be reached at mstamets@statesmanjournal.com or on X at @MakenzieStamets.



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Oregon Lottery Pick 4 results for June 18

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The Oregon Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at June 18, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Pick 4 numbers from June 18 drawing

1PM: 2-7-1-6

4PM: 4-7-3-2

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7PM: 3-7-5-1

10PM: 2-1-7-7

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Oregon Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 7:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 7:59 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Pick 4: 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily.
  • Win for Life: 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Megabucks: 7:29 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Oregon editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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Oregon man sentenced to 77 months in prison after pleading guilty to attempted kidnapping

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Oregon man sentenced to 77 months in prison after pleading guilty to attempted kidnapping


A Benton County man has been sentenced to more than six years in prison after prosecutors say he held his brother at knifepoint inside their family home, a confrontation that ended with police shooting the wrong person as the victim tried to escape, the Benton County District Attorney’s office said in a media release.

On Thursday, June 18, John Dakota Lyon pleaded guilty to Attempted Kidnapping in the Second Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Coercion, according to a news release from the Benton County District Attorney. He was sentenced to a total of 77 months in prison and two years of post-prison supervision.

The case stems from the morning of Jan. 6, when Maverick Lyon was home visiting his parents during winter break from college. Prosecutors said Dakota Lyon, his brother, was living at the home after recently being released from the Department of Corrections.

In February 2023, Dakota Lyon was sentenced to 58 months in prison for convictions of Attempted Assault in the First Degree and Unlawful Use of a Weapon, the release said.

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On Jan. 6, prosecutors said Dakota Lyon accused Maverick Lyon of conspiring with their father to do harm to him. Dakota Lyon armed himself with a large kitchen knife and, while holding onto Maverick Lyon’s shirt, pulled him throughout the house, implying he would harm him with the knife, according to the district attorney’s office. Despite Maverick Lyon’s pleadings, prosecutors said Dakota Lyon refused to release him or put the knife down.

Prosecutors said Maverick Lyon convinced Dakota Lyon to allow him to grab his own kitchen knife under the guise that they would leave the residence to confront their father together. Their father, who saw and heard what was happening through a surveillance system set up at the home, called 911 to report the crime, the release said.

Multiple Albany Police Department officers arrived and were able to see two men through a back door window, including one with a knife, according to the district attorney’s office. After a brief conversation between officers and the men, prosecutors said Maverick Lyon broke free and rushed out the back door.

The district attorney’s office said Maverick Lyon still had a knife in his hand as he began to break the plane of the door, and officers were standing near the door. Prosecutors said Maverick Lyon began dropping the knife, but officers, fearing for their lives and the lives of other officers, fired their weapons. Maverick Lyon was struck several times.

An earlier Officer Involve Shooting review by the Benton County District Attorney’s Office found the officers’ use of force was justified, the release said.

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Officers rendered first aid, and while being treated, Maverick Lyon said, “You shot the wrong guy,” according to the district attorney’s office.

Dakota Lyon was taken into custody without further incident, and the knife he was believed to have been possessing was located near him, prosecutors said. He has been in custody since Jan. 6.

After surgery and a lengthy recovery period, Maverick Lyon “appears to be doing well,” the release said.

The district attorney’s office said methamphetamine may have played a role in Dakota Lyon’s actions. A urine sample taken from him that day tested positive for methamphetamine, and he was known to use methamphetamine in the past and was believed by those close to him to have recently begun using methamphetamine again, according to the release.

“The tragic shooting was a direct result of Dakota Lyon’s actions. As Dakota marched Maverick around the house at knife point, Maverick feared for his life and wanted nothing more but to escape his drug crazed older brother. But for Dakota’s actions, police would not have been called, Maverick would not be a victim of kidnapping, unlawful use of a weapon, and coercion, and the police would not have shot Maverick,” Chief DDA Amie Matusko, who prosecuted the case, said in the release.

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At sentencing, Dakota Lyon’s attorney, Christian Strahl, acknowledged Dakota Lyon’s responsibility in Maverick Lyon’s shooting, the release said. Strahl indicated the remorse Dakota Lyon felt, saying Dakota Lyon wished he could have taken the bullets instead of Maverick, according to prosecutors.

“While this sentiment is appreciated, true accountability would be remorse in having raised a knife towards his brother and regret that the lives of Maverick and the family are forever changed,” Matusko said.



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