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Oregon Baseball Opens Up Their Postseason With A Win Over San Diego

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Oregon Baseball Opens Up Their Postseason With A Win Over San Diego


Oregon baseball opened their postseason run in the Santa Barbara Regional with a win over San Diego, 5-4. The game was quite compelling even as it was at parts both marvelous and frustrating to watch at the same time.

RJ Gordon has been the leading starter for the first game of the weekend series this season and was again the starter for the first game against the Toreros. San Diego brought their big gun, Josh Randall, to the hill against the Ducks.

The game started as a pitcher’s duel with the offenses of both sides not being able to connect for runs in the first four innings. Scratch beneath the surface of the box score, however, and one pitcher was distinguishing himself better than the other – and it wasn’t Gordon.

In the first five innings in which the starters were on the mound, Randall fanned 6 batters, while Gordon only recorded 3 Ks. The Oregon bats were not able to get a solid bead on Randall, who walked none of the Ducks in his start. Even when he gifted Oregon base-runners by hitting batters with pitches, the Ducks could not capitalize.

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That’s not to say that RJ Gordon’s outing was a bad start. It wasn’t, and even if he was being helped by a great Oregon defense, he wasn’t giving up home runs.

Something had to give, and that something happened in the fifth inning.

Carter Garate drew first blood in the fifth with a solo shot to lead off the top of the inning.

In the bottom of the fifth, Gordon picked up a pair of fly-up outs and could not close the inning. The Toreros pecked away at him with a single, a walk, and another single to tie the score 1-1.

Randall opened up the top of the sixth inning by giving up a single and hitting the third batter of the game, and with two on base and no outs his afternoon was done. San Diego could not quash Oregon’s offensive momentum, and after loading the bases the Ducks followed with a couple of sacrifice plays to take the score to 3-1.

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The Ducks rolled the dice by keeping Gordon in the game, and were rewarded with San Diego flying or grounding out in the sixth and seventh innings.

In the top of the eighth inning, and with two outs, Carter Garate hit a double to extend Oregon’s lead to 4-1.

In the bottom of the eighth, Oregon pushed their luck too much by trotting Gordon back out on the hill. At best, Gordon’s game begins to fall off after his pitch count hits the mid-90’s, and with a pitch count at 110 the Ducks had no business keeping him in the game. It should not have been a surprise at all when he walked the first Torero batter, and San Diego followed up with a single to put two on base with no outs.

Brock Moore came in for relief. Unfortunately for both him and the Ducks, San Diego immediately clocked him for a three run homer.

Moore walked the next two batters and his miserable outing was over. It was up to Logan Mercado to come in and stop the arterial blood loss.

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The game became a nail biter. Mercado can be brilliant at times and also give up home runs and the lead at times. Both sides could not score and with Mercado trying to help keep Oregon in this ball game, the tension was real with the foreboding that every one of his pitches could yield a leadoff home run and send the Ducks to the path of elimination.

It may not have been pretty, but pretty does not win ball games and Mercado did everything he had to do to send the game into extra innings.

In the top of the 11th inning, Bryce Boettcher connected with the second pitch throw at him – a solo shot to left field that would be all Oregon needed to come away with the win.

Mercado’s white-knuckle pitching in the 11th made the bottom of the inning seem like forever, but the lead stuck and Oregon escaped with a win.

Here is your final line:

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And we recap with the game highlights:

UC Santa Barbara had their own not-very-pretty win against Fresno State, but came out on top 9-6 and will face Oregon on Saturday. The teams know each other and play nearly every season in the nonconference slate. The Gauchos took the series earlier in the season, and if there is a game that is must-see for Oregon baseball, this is the game.

Oregon vs. Santa Barbara is Saturday at 7:00 pm PT. The game is scheduled to be shown on ESPN+.

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San Diego, CA

Francis Parker captures Open Division girls basketball title

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Francis Parker captures Open Division girls basketball title


OCEANSIDE — The Frontwave Arena scoreboard showed 23 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Up 16, Francis Parker’s win over Westview High School for the CIF San Diego Section Open Division girls basketball championship was secure.

“No, no, no!” Parker head coach Courtney Clements screamed to freshman guard Jordan Brown, telling her there was no need to score.

So Brown walked the ball up the floor, from the backcourt, across midcourt, a 1,000-watt smile etched across her face.

With no Wolverines defending her, Brown dribbled from side to side across the logo. Then, a fraction of a moment before the final buzzer sounded, Brown flung the basketball high toward the rafters, then was engulfed by teammates.

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The job was complete. Parker’s first Open Division title in program history was secure, the final reading 66-50 on Saturday night.

Of those final seconds, said Brown, who scored 23 points. “It was a surreal moment, knowing we worked for this all year long. It’s amazing.”

One reason it was amazing was because the top-seeded Lancers (21-7) were a decided favorite, but were stressed by the sixth-seeded Wolverines (20-9). Led by UC Santa Barbara-bound senior guard Sarah Heyn (18 points in the first half), Westview led 35-28 early in the third quarter.

“I just knew I had to do whatever it took to win,” said Brown. “Whether that was defense or offense. I just wanted to win, period.”

Sparked by its defense, Parker closed the quarter on a 14-0 run.  Westview’s final 11 possessions of the quarter ended with five missed shots and six turnovers.

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Still, the game wasn’t over. Heyn cut the deficit to 48-44 with just over six minutes to play on a bucket. But with 5:47 to play, Heyn was whistled for her fifth foul on a reach-in.

“Knowing their best player fouled out, we sealed the win,” said Brown.

As for Heyn, who finished with 23 points, she sat on the bench and pulled her jersey over her eyes, hiding tears.

Clements’ thoughts when Heyn fouled out? “I hope we can put this game away now.”

Francis Parker High’s Jordan Brown shoots against Westview High during the CIF Open Division championship at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Francis Parker defeated Westview 66-50. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

That the Lancers did, outscoring Westview 18-6 down the stretch.

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The Lancers’ players and coach were effusive in their praise for Heyn, a four-year starter.

“She’s a great player,” said Brown.

“She played phenomenally,” said Clements. “She played the way you would think a senior would play in a championship game. She played desperately. She played every possession like it was the last 20 seconds of the game. She was extremely impressive. (Heyn buried five 3s, missing only once from deep.) She should be proud of herself.”

Clements was proud of her team for another reason. After blowing out two-time reigning Open Division champion Mission Hills by 26 in the semis, some thought Parker might cruise in the title game.

“I figured it was going to be a fight, and it was,” said Clements. “It was good that our girls had to come together, had to stick together. That’s what this is all about, developing character via the sport of basketball. When the kids face adversity, they have to make a decision. Who do they want to be? They showed the best version of themselves. That’s what I want to remember from a game like this.”

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Francis Parker’s primary color is brown, which is fitting for the girls basketball team. They are led not only by the freshman Jordan Brown, but also junior Brieana Brown, a strong, aggressive and athletic 5-foot-11 wing.

Brieana Brown scored 25 points and yanked down a team-best eight rebounds.

About the team in brown being led by the Browns (who are not related), Jordan Brown said: “It’s super cool. I love Bri and our story. So many people think we’re related, that we’re siblings. In reality, we’re not, but we play like it.”

Francis Parker High's Brieana Brown shoots against Westview during the CIF Open Division championship at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Francis Parker defeated Westview 66-50. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Francis Parker High’s Brieana Brown shoots against Westview during the CIF Open Division championship at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Francis Parker defeated Westview 66-50. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Francis Parker and Westview both will advance to the Southern California Regionals.

Earlier in the season, Clements — who was dressed in all black for the championship game — confessed she wasn’t crazy about Parker’s primary color. Her mood shifted Saturday night.

“Brown’s doing well for me now,” she said.

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Asked if Lancers’ Brown squared tandem represents the best one-two girls basketball punch in the San Diego Section, Clements gave the questioner a “What do you think?” smirk.

“That,” said the coach of the Open Division champions, “is a no-brainer.”



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5 things to know about Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei

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5 things to know about Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei



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Joan Endres – San Diego Union-Tribune

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Joan Endres – San Diego Union-Tribune



Joan Endres


OBITUARY

Born January 1939 in Cincinnati Ohio. Died February 14, 2026, in San Diego, California, with her sons at her side. Her beloved husband Dean passed away in 2010.

Joan was the only child of Thomas and Edna Palmer. In 1943, the family moved to San Diego, where Joan graduated from Helix High School in 1956.

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In 1957 Joan married Dean Endres of San Diego, where they raised two sons. Joan followed her two great passions outside the home, the Arts, and Gardening. Both activities being a way to bring beauty to others and to the community.

Joan received a degree in Environmental Design from San Diego State University, and afterwords worked at UCSD, for the Campus Architect.

As an artist, Joan worked in various media, especially ceramics. She was active in many cultural and arts organizations, eventually becoming President of the Combined Organization for the Visual Arts (COVA). Later she turned to gardening, with the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca Community College and the Master Gardener Association of San Diego County.

Joan is survived by her son Jeff and wife Katrin, grandson Jackson, and son Todd Endres, all of La Mesa, and sisters Alice Buck of Phoenix, Elaine Kennedy of San Diego, Nancy and husband Don Jones of Vista, Eva Budzinski of Cloudcroft, New Mexico, and their children and grandchildren.

There will be a Celebration of Life for Joan in the near future. Those who wish to attend should contact celebratejoanuvart@gmail.com to receive details when they are confirmed. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully suggests a donation to the Water Conservation Garden or the Diego Visual Arts Network (SDVAN).

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